INTERVIEW | Four months since the historic May 9 polls, Umno continues to be beset by challenges.

While still in its infancy as a member of the opposition, Umno has faced defeat in several state by-elections, had its former president Najib Abdul Razak hauled up to court, and has seen a slew of resignations from top party leaders – including the recent exit of two supreme council members who lost faith in the party – and with more expected to follow.

With less than a week to the Umno annual general assembly on Sept 29 and 30, all eyes are now on Najib's successor Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, saddled with the unenviable task of rebuilding the party.

In an interview with Malaysiakini, however, Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob maintained that he has confidence in Zahid and believes that the new president can help restore the party.

Ismail said Umno's transition from a ruling to an opposition party is not something that can be rushed, but acknowledges that some still feel that progress is too slow.

He likened the process to entering a 5km race, and said progress cannot be judged by when the race started, or by the shortest time.

"The president sees his role in these early stages as changing Umno from the ruling party to the opposition, and therefore to make adjustments accordingly, as well as to study why we lost (the elections). So he feels we should not rush to determine a strategy and direction (for the party).

"There are members who feel that this is taking too long. But if we want to run far, all the way to the 15th general election, the planning cannot be made ad hoc but must take time to be carried out in detail.

"All this will be debated in the coming general assembly. What is important is that our president is doing what is best and we must give him the chance," he said when met at his office in Petaling Jaya recently.

Blaming the president

Among Umno leaders who have voiced concern over the lack of progress in reforming the party is deputy president Mohamad Hasan, who opined that the process has been slower than expected, to the point of sowing uncertainty among party members.

One clear strategy that Umno and BN have taken is to begin working together with fellow opposition party PAS. This was evident in the past three Selangor by-elections in Sungai Kandis, Balakong and Seri Setia.

Zahid even led a delegation of Umno leaders to attend the recent PAS muktamar in Kuala Terengganu, a move PAS has said it will reciprocate.

Hence, Ismail said it is not fair for any party to blame Zahid for any problems faced by Umno, when the latter is working his hardest for the sake of the party.

"Everyone has different approaches. But there are those who blame the president each time a crisis emerges, as they (feel) blaming him is the best thing to do.

"There are those who cannot handle the pressure around us (on Umno) and so make decisions that come at the cost of Umno. I feel this can happen to any party," the Bera MP said.

Ismail's statements come at the wake of the resignation of two party leaders and former ministers – Mustapa Mohamed and Anifah Aman – less than a day from each other.

Mustapa had expressed disappointment with the trajectory Umno was taking, saying it was not becoming inclusive and moderate, while Anifah said he was unable to fulfil promises made in relation to Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) while in Umno and BN.

Their exit brought the number of parliamentary seats held by Umno down to 49 from 54 after the national polls.

Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin pinned Mustapa's exit on Zahid, claiming this was due to the party's overtures to PAS.

Tok Pa exit a 'betrayal of voters' trust'

Commenting on this, Ismail said Mustapa never specified he was leaving because of Umno-PAS relations.

However, if that was the case, Ismail said the former Kelantan Umno chief should have seen this development in a positive light.

"Kelantan Umno should have been stronger, and forged a better relationship with PAS. No more fighting. All this time, the conflict (between both parties) came at a cost to Islam and the Malays.

"What is wrong about Umno's relationship with PAS if it helps bring together villagers who were once at odds with each other? There are no longer two opposing groups. This should be what the people of Kelantan want," he said further.

Ismail added that since Mustapa could have raised any reservations he had on the party leadership at the Umno supreme council. 

"Many things which are not right can be corrected from within, he cannot just say 'Umno is not right so I want out'.

"That is not a good leader," he said.

Mustapa's sudden exit on Tuesday shocked many, as he was elected to the supreme council with the highest number of votes during the party election in June.

In the May 9 polls, Mustapa won the Jeli parliamentary seat with a comfortable 21,665 votes, beating out PAS' Mohamad Hamid with 15,018 and Pakatan Harapan's Azran Deraman with 2,078.

To Ismail, the win was a sign of the trust Jeli voters had in Umno and Mustapa – but the latter's subsequent departure from the party was a betrayal of that trust.

"Not just those who voted for him into the Umno supreme council and Jeli, but those in the party divisions and branches would be disappointed too.

"If he (Mustapa) is thinking of morality, he should resign as MP as he longer represents the party he contested under.

"If he had any honour, he would vacate the seat."