Will the planned UMNO-PAS mega unity rally serve any useful purpose other than a show of majoritarian force?
At the recent UMNO General Assembly, party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi officially expressed unreserved openness to a political understanding with PAS while declaring that the door for cooperation with PAS is now wide open.
The move comes in the wake of past collaborations and current shared governance in Negeri Sembilan, signaling hopes for a broader alliance at the federal level.
Underlining the urgent need to strengthen ties ahead of GE16, Zahid also instructed party youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh to work with his PAS counterparts to gather over a million Malay-Muslims for a mammoth rally dubbed “Himpunan Perpaduan Ummah.”
“Akmal, I am giving you the mandate. Work with them well. Mobilize roadshows in every state in the days leading to the mammoth rally,” the UMNO chief said.
So, are the gloves finally off?
Is the “mutiny” in the Unity Government officially underway, thanks to Zahid?
The UMNO president’s remarks suggest he wants to replicate their past alignment on a grander scale before GE16. However, this must be viewed in the context of several recent key developments.
There is little doubt that Zahid has now decided to go on the offensive against Anwar, his so-called "guru." It is an outright political declaration of war—and, knowing UMNO, the endgame seems aimed at forcing an early general election.
There may be wide smiles and warm handshakes during Cabinet meetings but in spirit, the Unity Government—which has been on life support for a while—looks to be well and truly dead, just waiting to be buried.
No prizes for guessing who the undertakers are!
But that’s classic UMNO, isn’t it?
Ruthless and unyielding—not even to their own kind. Remember Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s fate when he was Prime Minister?
The nationalist party's critics have long argued that its political DNA is driven by an innate desire for total dominance—including over the lucrative gravy train.
And here's the hard truth: despite being part of Anwar's ruling Madani Government they seem to have no qualms in openly pouring scorn over the very Prime Minister whom they report to!
One might ask: where is the much-vaunted Malay adab (good manners)?
What happened to basic political decorum?
But while UMNO may already be dreaming of sharing the fruits of victory with their Malay-Muslim brothers from PAS, the burning question is: what happens after the elections when the euphoria evaporates and reality sets in?
In fact, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang sparked another controversy recently by claiming that colonial-era laws inhibit Islam while insinuating that the country's existing legal framework may need to be altered.
Isn't it painfully clear his blueprint for this country?
In his trademark no-holds-barred manner, Hadi seemed to signal that whether one likes it or not, theocracy over basic democratic norms is the way forward.
However, the PAS supremo's remarks prompted the G25 group of prominent retired civil servants to warn that his proposal to remove colonial-era laws—which he claimed hindered Shariah implementation—could actually pave the way for a full-fledged theocracy.
According to them, such a proposal would elevate one interpretation of Islamic law above the Federal Constitution, placing a small group of clerics above the Rulers, Parliament, and the courts.
But wouldn't that raise immediate red flags—not just for non-Muslims, but also for the many moderate and progressive Malay Muslims in the country?
Would it not also signal the start of an irreversible drive to “erase” Malaysia's unique identity as a vibrant, pluralistic, multi religious nation?
The fear is, with UMNO and PAS confident of securing enough votes to form the next federal government, could sweeping constitutional and Shariah overhauls eventually become a reality one day?
Sabah and Sarawak may yet emerge as the “saviours” but what if they are forced to cave in to political pressures?
Understandably, many will dismiss such concerns as alarmist. But twenty years ago, did anyone foresee PAS' gradual rise to become the single largest political party in Parliament?
Yet today, that is the stark reality.
Meanwhile, is it any surprise at all that the gung-ho Akmal Saleh has been tasked to organize the targeted million-strong rally? Yes, the same one who successfully spearheaded a large “rally” to purportedly teach one elderly Chinese businessman how to hoist the Jalur Gemilang correctly.
Still, the bigger question remains: what exactly is the main purpose of organizing such a massive political rally?
Is it simply for UMNO and PAS to flex their collective muscles and convey a strong message that Malay-Muslims are the undisputed bosses of this land—and that the rest must simply bow down to them?
Seriously, if it’s not for that reason, then for what else? After all, there is hardly any threat to the power, positions and the special privileges they already enjoy.
In closing, here’s a thought: should DAP or the minority non-Malay community decide to organize a similar mega unity gathering, would it even be allowed—or would it be instantly opposed for being "insensitive" to the feelings of the majority?
(Main information sources: Malay Mail, FMT, and Malaysiakini)
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