Muhyiddin’s ‘formula’ just internal drama, nothing for voters, says Shahril

July 17, 2024

Muhyiddin’s ‘formula’ just internal drama, nothing for voters, says Shahril

PETALING JAYA: A former Umno information chief has described Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin’s latest party leadership lineup “formula” as an “internal drama” that offers voters no positive changes.

In the latest episode of the Keluar Sekejap podcast, Shahril Hamdan said this “drama” had nothing for voters seeking meaningful progress.

“As long as we can’t see a clear succession plan and generational transition from Muhyiddin, Bersatu won’t be able to show that it’s more progressive than Umno,” he added.

His co-host, Khairy Jamaluddin, said Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal should be elevated to the position of deputy president to represent a genuine generational shift.

“What’s going on? (These people are nearing their) 60s and 70s,” he said, referring to those involved in Muhyiddin’s “formula”.

Last Saturday, Muhyiddin suggested that Bersatu’s incumbent deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu step down to become a vice-president and make way for Hamzah Zainudin, its secretary-general and opposition leader in Parliament.

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Muhyiddin said Selangor opposition leader Azmin Ali would be offered the post of secretary-general, given his ability and political experience.

Based on FMT’s checks, Hamzah turned 67 in March, Azmin will turn 59 in August while Faizal just turned 54 last month.

Umno’s missed opportunity with ‘Bersatu 6’ seats

On Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi backing Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul’s decision to not vacate the “Bersatu 6” seats, Khairy said Umno had missed a “golden opportunity” as the party was likely to have been granted a chance to contest the resulting by-elections.

He said by combining the votes from Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) in the last general election, Umno could have potentially won all these seats, except Labuan.

He said BN-PH would have secured a win in Gua Musang with a combined total of over 26,000 votes, compared with Perikatan Nasional’s 21,826.

“In Tanjong Karang, BN-PH would have a combined vote of 28,000 compared with PN’s 18,000,” he said.

“This was an opportunity for Zahid to say: ‘Hey Umno, we’ve turned the corner. There’s a resurgence, a renaissance because of this victory.’”

Meanwhile, Shahril suggested that the opportunity slipped away because the Umno leadership did not truly believe in their own claims of a resurgence.

“(Umno) doesn’t need to win five seats. Even winning one could serve as evidence of a resurgence and that there’s a flip in the seat. But they didn’t dare (to try),” he said.