Umno Polls Okay But Not Ge15 It S About Zahid Say Analysts

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With 200,000 taking part in the Umno elections, it would be just as risky as a general election, say analysts. (Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: Political analysts have decried the “selfish” attitude, reeking of a double standard, of Umno politicians calling for early party elections but in the same breath delaying the next general election.
Socio-political analyst Awang Azman Pawi said many ministers appear to be contradicting themselves.
“It’s double standard in a way as both will see large scale gatherings,” he told FMT.
Some 200,000 people will vote in the Umno elections. Umno is the biggest political party with thousands of branches in 192 divisions and reportedly more than three million members.
“The campaigning and the meetings among members will attract gatherings,” said Awang Azman. “We might as well call for the general election as both involve large crowds,” he added.
Among those who have called for early party elections are science, technology and innovation minister Khairy Jamaluddin, federal territories minister Annuar Musa and Umno veteran Shahidan Kassim.
At the recent Umno general assembly, the party called to end ties with PPBM. It also saw an open rift between Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Annuar, who is seen to be PPBM-friendly.
Another political analyst Kenneth Cheng said the main intention of many in favour of party polls and not a general election was that they wished to get rid of Zahid.
Cheng, who is a member of the Agora Society, a loose network of intellectuals, said some feel Zahid may not be able to lead the party into the general election and want party elections to be held.
“Those who are calling for party elections claim that the division in the party is too deep and they want party polls,” he added.
Political analyst Azmi Hassan said the faction calling for party polls comprises those who are against Zahid.
“That is their main objective, not whether it is safe or dangerous to have polls during Covid-19,” he told FMT.
He said they could instead pressure Zahid to step down with his deputy Mohamad Hasan taking over “but that is not their intention.”
He said those calling for party polls also do not want Mohamad to take over. “It will not satisfy their real needs, that is to be president of the party”.
Due to that, he said, it was selfish of these leaders to call for party polls but not the general election during the pandemic. - FMT

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