Umno's fault lines more apparent following its move against Muhyiddin, academics say

[superadmin]

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — Umno's attempt to force out Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has exposed the party's frailties more than its strengths, academics have said.

According to Universiti Teknologi Malaysia geostrategist Prof Azmi Hassan, this was patent when the party could only get 11 of its MPs to publicly withdraw support for Perikatan Nasional (PN) despite its official decision to reject the coalition.

“One quarter support the president (Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) and the other three quarters, we're not not sure where they stand (yet), whether with the government or if they are with the party,” he said.

However, Azmi said this could change before Muhyiddin’s proposed confidence vote in September, and that the MPs might still shift positions based on their constituents’ views.



“But I doubt the MPs will listen to their constituents. They will either listen to the party or they have their own agenda in this case,” he said.

Azmi added that Zahid’s inability to present the Yang di-Pertuan Agong with a credible alternative to Muhyiddin also reflected poorly on the party’s ambition to regain power.

- More -