Umno assembly: Lion fails to roar, but claws are out

[superadmin]

Umno’s 75th annual general assembly did not end with a bang. There was no sizzle, just some fizzle.

I had expected something new to come out of the assembly after all the buildup but, no, the delegates just confirmed some things we had already heard.

However, in confirming Umno’s stand on certain issues, the second general assembly since Umno lost power in 2018 brought clarity to the short-term direction it intends to pursue.

I say short-term because the debates were almost all about taking power again in the next general election. But this is not surprising because politics is about power, and Umno is like a lion craving to regain its position after losing leadership of the herd.

What were the main outcomes of the assembly? One, the party adopted a resolution to sever ties with Perikatan Nasional (PN). This wasn’t surprising as for months Umno leaders have been talking about it. It was just a formalisation of what everyone knew.

This is where, I think, the Umno leadership failed to act like a lion. Instead of leaping and taking down the prey at one go, it signalled its intention months in advance and announced it on Sunday. What Umno has done is simply give its political enemies time to prepare.

Why do you think PPBM chief Muhiyddin Yassin went to Sabah before the Umno assembly? To say “hi” to Sabahans?


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