Despite disputes, Umno will unite ahead of polls

Despite disputes, Umno will unite ahead of polls. The ongoing disputes within Umno do not mean that the party is weak, said an Umno Supreme Council member.

Abdul Rahman Dahlan told FMT that although the Umno leadership is seen to have various “tribes”, it does not mean the party cannot unite at the negotiating table.

The Tuaran Umno division chief said conflicting ideas put forth by Umno leaders were to help find areas of “common ground”, to restore the party as the backbone of the government and win the next general election (GE15).

“Every party has internal turmoil. Although there are disputes, it is not so bad that we can no longer sit down together.

“Differences of opinions will not lead to a situation where we (Umno leaders) cannot come back together. There is still room for discussion and resolution,” said Rahman, who had himself been embroiled in a leadership dispute with Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin ahead of the state elections last September.

Rahman, who is a former federal minister, led several Sabah Umno leaders to oppose the appointment of Bung as the Barisan Nasional (BN) election director for the polls.

However, the two leaders made peace and worked together to help BN win the election with the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) alliance that comprises Perikatan Nasional (PN) and PBS.

The coalition overthrew Warisan which had collaborated with DAP and PKR.

Another Supreme Council member, Rosnah Rashid Shirlin said any disagreements should not be voiced outside the party at a time when the country was still struggling with both the Covid-19 pandemic and economic recovery.

“All leaders are expected to be big-hearted and able to sit together at the same table,” she told FMT.

Last week, Umno vice-president Mohamed Khaled Nordin reminded the party that personal agendas and the existence of various “tribes” within Umno were major problems that could topple the party.

He stressed that Umno must be firm with the party’s decision that only the office of the president and Supreme Council would be the drivers of the party’s agenda.