IT IS very true that in politics, there are no permanent enemies and no permanent friends but only permanent interests.
Interestingly, such is the dilemma facing UMNO today with its members and supporters wondering which of their leaders among its president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan or supreme council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi that they should listen to.
“Mohd Puad said Ahmad did not say that UMNO members and supporters should vote for the unity government candidate from the DAP party,” penned veteran journalist and blogger Datuk A. Kadir Jasin in a recent Facebook post.
“Mohd Puad cited Ahmad as saying that he never mentioned ‘DAP’. He only asked the UMNO grassroots to support candidates from the unity government.
“But many media channels reported Ahmad as asking UMNO members to view DAP candidates in the upcoming six state elections as representing the unity government and not as per the name of the party.”
In this regard, Kadir asked who should UMNO grassroots members believe in – the mass media or Mohd Puad?
“Well, Ahmad has made an explanation and Mohd Puad clarified his explanation. But what about Zahid? He was also reported by the mass media to urge UMNO grassroots to support DAP candidates,” justified Kadir.
“Not only that but he defended the recommendation to vote for DAP. There is no clarification nor retraction of his statement anywhere on the matter. If there is, please share.”
Logically, when UMNO changes its stance from “No Anwar, No DAP, No Bersatu” to “Yes Anwar, Yes DAP”, members and supporters of the party must support the DAP candidate, according to Kadir who himself was a “card-carrying” UMNO members for 32 years before deserting the party in 2015.
“It doesn’t make sense if UMNO forms a unity government with DAP but not vote for DAP in the state polls. It will be worse (if their members and supporters) vote for Perikatan Nasional (PN),” contended the former editor-in-chief of New Straits Times.
“Obviously they’ve to vote for DAP. Not voting for DAP is like not supporting the unity government. After all, UMNO has also implied that the unity government is forged at the order of His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.” – May 29, 2023
Main pic credit: Astro Awani
