UMNO defended its decision to dissolve the Johor state assembly last month, saying it was done as several state assemblymen keep threatening to withdraw support for their vested interest.
“The state government then had only one-seat majority. The situation was so tenuous that the House Speaker had to cast his vote to pass Bills.
“We cannot continue like that. Johor menteri besar Datuk Hasni Mohamad was always under threat that someone may withdraw support from his administration,” UMNO deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan was reported saying by Berita Harian.
The ties between Muafakat Nasional partners, UMNO and PAS, went downhill following the dissolution of the Johor state assembly.
Both the Islamist party and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) accused the nationalist party of not consulting them before dissolving the state assembly.
Irate by UMNO’s four seats offer to PAS, the latter’s president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang accused the former of being “ungrateful”, claiming it was his party that “nursed UMNO back to life” following its defeat in the last general election.
But UMNO had reminded PAS that the nationalist was okay going solo and did not need the Islamist party’s support to face elections.
On that note, Mohamad Hasan, who is also UMNO election director for the Johor polls, reminded detractors of how one of its allies had threatened to withdraw support during the Melaka polls, alluding to Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“Someone threatened that he can push a button (to collapse the Johor government). Now, we pressed the button, he got angry.
“We need to settle this now so as to ensure the state’s political stability. UMNO cannot be relying on the Opposition’s goodwill for too long,” the Rantau state assemblyman mentioned. – Feb 1, 2022.
