When Dr Mahathir Mohamad first created his so-called “big umbrella” for the Malays, he claimed that too many political parties were dividing the community.
Thus, he set out to create a unifying platform — an umbrella under which all Malay political factions could supposedly gather to restore Malay strength and solidarity.
But the irony, as Umno’s Puad Zarkashi has now pointed out, is that there are now too many umbrellas claiming to unite the Malays — each one led by a different “saviour” of the race.
If unity was truly the goal, why are there so many “unifying” umbrellas, each with its own set of leaders, slogans, and factions?
United Yet Divided
Mahathir’s Sekretariat Orang Melayu, launched in June, was meant to bring together all Malay-based parties under one roof.
Mahathir insisted that it was not politically motivated, but rather a platform to “restore Malay political power” and address the challenges faced by the Malay community.
Yet, within weeks, another so-called “big umbrella” emerged — this time under Muhyiddin Yassin.
The former Bersatu president and Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman formed Ikatan Prihatin Rakyat (IPR) in August, a loose coalition of 11 opposition parties to address what he claimed were the government’s unfulfilled reform promises.
On paper, both initiatives sound noble.
In practice, however, both umbrellas are led by the same people — and filled with the same political egos who could not work together under a single tent.
Puad’s Stinging Rebuke
In a Facebook post, Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi mocked this “political marriage” between Mahathir and Muhyiddin, calling it insincere and contradictory.
“If PN already exists, why form IPR and the Sekretariat Orang Melayu? Why not just be under one roof?” Puad asked.
He noted that although PN, IPR, and the Sekretariat Orang Melayu share the same leaders, their continued fragmentation shows the fragility of their unity.
“That’s what it means to be ‘united yet divided’,” he said. “Too many heads, too many people wanting to be the leader.”
Puad’s critique, though dripping with sarcasm, captures the essence of the problem: everyone wants to lead the Malay cause, but no one wants to follow.
Too Many Umbrellas, Too Little Unity
Mahathir himself once warned that too many big umbrellas would only divide the Malays further.
“If there is more than one big umbrella, the result will be disunity and defeat,” he said just weeks ago.
Yet, that is exactly what is happening — under his own watch, and with his own protégés.
Mahathir’s Sekretariat Orang Melayu focuses on uniting Malay-based parties, while Muhyiddin’s IPR tries to bring in non-Malay figures like P Ramasamy (of Urimai) and P Waytha Moorthy (of the Malaysian Advancement Party) to project multiracial inclusivity.
But this very duality — one umbrella for Malays, another for all races — only exposes the contradictions in their political vision.
According to Puad, the involvement of these non-Malay leaders pushed Muhyiddin to form IPR to attract broader support, while Mahathir doubled down on Malay unity.
“The formation of all these branches is just an attempt to deceive the people,” Puad concluded.
The Endless Politics of Umbrellas
The “big umbrella” has become the new symbol of political opportunism in Malaysia.
Every few months, a new coalition, alliance, or secretariat is born — each claiming to unite the Malays, but in reality, dividing them even further.
Mahathir blames others for creating more umbrellas. Muhyiddin claims to build a better one. Puad mocks them both.
And the ordinary Malays, standing in the rain, are left wondering which umbrella is actually keeping them dry — and which one is just leaking from the top.
At this rate, the Malays will soon need not one umbrella, but a whole department store of umbrellas, each branded with a different leader’s name and ambition.
And by the time the rain stops, all that will remain is the sound of politicians arguing over who held the biggest one.
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