Umno leaders' maturity brings stability to party, say analysts

comments     Mohd Afiq Zulkifli, Bernama     Published     Updated

The maturity shown by Umno leaders at the recent Umno Supreme Council meeting has strengthened the country's largest Malay political party, say political analysts.

The Umno supreme council meeting on Sept 9, was the first since Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin and vice-president Mohd Shafie Apdal were dropped from the cabinet.

Muhyiddin was dropped as deputy prime minister and education minister while Mohd Shafie was dropped as rural and regional development minister in a Cabinet reshuffle on July 28.

Head of Political Science Department of Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) Malaysia, Dr Tunku Mohar Tunku Mohd Mokhtar said the Umno leadership was able to distinguish between state administration matters and party matters.

"The Umno leadership understands that Cabinet posts are accorded at the discretion of the prime minister while the party posts are won in elections," he told Bernama today.

Meanwhile, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) geostrategist lecturer Dr Azmi Hassan said the harmonious atmosphere and smooth running of the Umno supreme council meeting reflected the consensus achieved by the Umno leadership.

"This is not easy. Usually, after leaders are dropped, the party becomes unstable and a splinter group emerges. This is what happened to PAS after several leaders lost in the elections.

"The spliter group then decided to leave and form a new party. Fortunately, this does not happen to Umno," he told Bernama in Kuala Lumpur today.

What happened at the Umno supreme council meeting sent a clear message, not only to the Umno members but also to the people, that the party is stable.

"The people want a party that is stable and Umno has demonstrated this. Despite differences in opinion, they (the leaders) are willing to compromise for the sake of strengthening the party's agenda."

Prof Samsul Adabi Mamat of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) said the decision made, showed that the Umno leadership believed in compromise, rather than confrontation in resolving problems.

"This is what is expected of the UMNO leadership. They have to remain patient and react with maturity to whatever happens. Consensus can only strengthen the party.

He said this should be welcomed by the entire Umno leadership from those at grassroots to divisional level.

- Bernama



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