PETALING JAYA,Mar 22: An Umno leader has dismissed a pundit’s view that his party stands to gain more by collaborating with Pakatan Harapan (PH), saying Malay voters would desert Umno if the partnership materialises.
Umno Supreme Council member Mohd Razlan Rafii said his party needed to consider the interests of their race and nation, not just political gains.
He said the Malays were getting comfortable with the partnership between Umno and PAS through Muafakat Nasional (MN), and the party would lose their support if it decided to work with PH, of which DAP is a component party.
“When we ‘rose again’ after GE14 (the 2018 polls), the people saw the struggle of defending the Malay people and Islam as the convergence point between PAS and Umno. In fact, it terrified the PH government at the time.
“The value of this ‘resurrection’ cannot be bought. It came because the people observed that we were sincere in our struggle. Will this continue if Umno works with DAP? The Malays supporting Barisan Nasional (BN) will run away.
“We need to think long and hard and consider the overall situation, the pros and cons in terms of politics, race and most importantly, the nation,” he told FMT.
Razlan was commenting on a statement by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia analyst Mohammad Agus Yusoff that Umno stands to benefit more through working with PH, including obtaining the most senior positions in government.
Agus had also said Umno’s “No Anwar, No DAP” slogan often touted by certain leaders was not the best political model for the party and would “bring it nowhere”.
“Umno and PAS only have small positions (in the Perikatan Nasional government). But, with PH, Umno would get the more senior positions,” he said.
While leaders like Annuar Musa have maintained that “No Anwar, No DAP” is Umno’s stand, other Supreme Council members like Mohd Puad Zarkashi and Tajuddin Abdul Rahman are of the view that this policy should not be too rigid.
