COMMENT | When Deputy Prime Minister and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi proposed a “grand collaboration” to unite Malay/Muslim parties, it was not something new but nevertheless unusual under the circumstances where the main parties are too divided.

What prompted him to say that? Does it mean Umno has abandoned its role of being the Malay party of choice? Does it think its chances at the polls are better served if seats could be divided up among the main Malay/Muslim parties? Or is he genuinely upset over Malay unity?

As DPM and a significant leader, should he not be concerned with Malaysian unity, uniting all communities under a single banner to move forward on several agendas on which all can agree?

And how does Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim figure in all this? Despite Zahid’s assurance that this grand collaboration will work only if...