WHAT was the ‘pound of flesh’ extracted by Umno for endorsing Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the next Prime Minister (PM)?
The political situation in Malaysia can never get better in view of the pandemic or otherwise, certainly not with the politicians who are going to helm the country’s leadership.
The choice between former PM Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the likely PM Ismail Sabri is like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
The question is how and to what extent the fire is going to engulf the whole nation.
Despite the initial bravado of Malay-only Perikatan Nasional (PN) Government that came to power through a major betrayal, the ideological Malay exclusiveness was a pyrrhic one.
The PN Government could not even last for more than year. There was no cohesion resulting from a racial ideology.
Why Umno supported Bersatu in the first instance is not clear – it might have nothing to do with it being a Malay-only government.
Umno by supporting Muhyiddin was certainly interested in extracting a pound of flesh in return for the support.
However, the proverbial pound of flesh could not be extracted resulting in the increasing animosity between Muhyiddin and some sections in Umno.
When the 14 Umno MPs withdrew their support for Muhyiddin, the latter resigned leading to the collapse of the Government.
With Muhyiddin gone, there are chances that Ismail Sabri might be brought in as the PM considering he might get the support of 114 MPs, principally from Umno, Bersatu, PAS, and others.
Now the question is: how and why did the recalcitrant 14 MPs who went against Muhyiddin came back to support Ismail, a person who was appointed as a deputy to Muhyiddin and a person who, despite being an Umno member, was seen having Bersatu’s DNA?
It is not that Umno members who were against Muhyiddin had an ideological difference with him in the first place – certainly not in the way he managed the country, although this front was conveniently used to camouflage the real and hidden interests of Umno.
There was something more sinister and devious at play here.
Umno supported Muhyiddin in the midst of the “Sheraton Move” for the sole reason that some of its members would not be prosecuted for corruption and financial scandals.
Since the top leadership of Umno were involved including the former prime minister and his deputy, this matter had to be resolved in their favour.
But Muhyiddin, having been expelled from Umno earlier by Datuk Seri Najib Razak, was apparently not keen to assist those who were charged for corruption.
In fact, Muhyiddin felt that he could use the court matter to split Umno.
He was to some extent successful, although he could not obtain the support of a number of Umno MPs who became intransigent towards him as time went on.
Finally, Muhyiddin, without realising the lack of support from Umno, couldn’t do much.
The withdrawal of 14 Umno MPs from supporting him caused his downfall which then led to his resignation.
It is not that Muhyiddin had a majority before the Umno pullout, but the pullout was something too glaring for him to hide that he did not have the required numbers.
Ismail might get the majority assuming he has the support of 114 MPs, particularly from Umno.
It is a real surprise that Umno has come together to throw support behind Ismail.
Why did the 14 MPs who withdrew support went back to support Ismail?
Notwithstanding that Ismail is an Umno person, there might have been compromises reached to win back the support of all the Umno MPs.
Umno closed ranks to support Ismail not because they loved him or he was better than Muhyiddin.
In fact there are reasons to believe that the last-minute bargaining to elicit the support of an undivided Umno might have something to do with the promises made by Ismail to Umno.
I presume that Umno’s support for Ismail would not have materialised in the absences of promises, although I am not sure of the quid pro quo bargain.
What were the promises made?
Have they got anything to do with the freeing of certain Umno politicians from being prosecuted?
This was something that Muhyiddin failed to address and why he could not continue in his post.
Muhyiddin might not have caved in, but Ismail might have made some deals.
If not, why would those Umno MPs responsible for the collapse of Muhyiddin turn around to support Ismail?
The rottenness is getting worse in the country. – Aug 20, 2021.
Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is the state assemblyperson for Perai. He is also deputy chief minister II of Penang.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
