Will return of Malaysia’s scandal-ridden ex-DPM Zahid Hamidi boost Umno or leave it in tatters?
- The former deputy to disgraced ex-PM Najib Razak faces 87 corruption charges and told local media he was reassuming his party duties because Malays were being sidelined
- But Zahid’s return – signalling more race and religious rhetoric by the embattled party – could backfire
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the former deputy prime minister, went on gardening leave last December from his position as party chief after he, like Najib, became ensnared in sweeping post-election corruption investigations.
But on Sunday, the veteran politician said he was returning to the role.
“I can no longer stand seeing Malays being sidelined. I can no longer stand seeing the people being lied to, being insulted, and being treated badly,” he was quoted as saying by local media. “So beginning today, I am officially resuming my duties as Umno president.”
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The announcement comes just days before Zahid – who faces a total of 87 corruption charges – was due to stand his first criminal trial.
During his leave of absence, the party was helmed by its deputy president Mohamad Hasan.
Once dubbed Malaysia’s grand old party, Umno today wields a fraction of its pre-election influence – holding just 54 seats in the 222-seat legislature.
Still, the consensus among observers is that Zahid’s return is unlikely to give the embattled party a much-needed shot in the arm.
Awang Azman Awang Pawi, an associate professor from the University of Malaya, said it would be in the party’s interests if Zahid – still viewed as Najib’s closest ally – kept a low profile, due to the tainted legacy of both leaders.
“The people want a political party led by someone free of allegations of misconduct and so may reject leaders who are perceived as tainted by various issues,” Awang Azman said. “In Zahid’s case, the charges are still being heard, so it would be better for him to rest and concentrate on clearing his name rather than risking the party.”
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Other observers believe Zahid’s return may reignite a “crisis of trust” among grass roots members.
The party is seen as torn between three main factions: Zahid’s, Mohamad Hasan’s, and that of Umno stalwart Hishammuddin Hussein, who on Monday cautioned party members against bickering.
Party insiders told This Week in Asia that some had expected Zahid to completely relinquish the role to Mohamad Hasan.
“Inside Umno, many prefer Mohamad Hasan,” said analyst James Chin of Tasmania University’s Asia Institute.
Umno must also fully realise it is in the opposition, says Azeem Fazwan Ahmad Farouk, director of the Centre for Policy Research and International Studies.
Zahid’s return signifies a veering to the right, playing the race and religion cards by portraying Umno as defenders of ethnic Malays and Islam
While factionalism exists in all political parties, Umno position in “unchartered waters” could result in many different outcomes, he said. “Nevertheless, one thing is for sure, Umno is no longer in the position to dispense patronage. Any appeals to its members will depend on the candidate’s charisma and their ideological appeal.”
A Zahid-led Umno indicates a return to ethnoreligious rhetoric which may appeal to the country’s majority ethnic Malay-Muslims in the short term, but would do it no favours in the long run, said political scientist Azmil Tayeb of Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Zahid’s perceived closeness to scandal-plagued former prime minister Najib, too, heightens the perception the party is unwilling to open up and become more moderate.
This split in the Malay votes gave Umno and its ally, the hardline Islamist party PAS, a toehold into regaining power, observers said.
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The country of 32 million people, of whom 60 per cent are Malay, has only known a Malay-dominated government since its independence in 1957.
“Zahid’s return signifies a veering to the right, playing the race and religion cards by portraying Umno as defenders of ethnic Malays and Islam, while accusing the Pakatan Harapan-led government of failing to do this,” Azmil said.
And while this may work on a smaller scale – as seen in the three state assembly by-elections won this past year – it is “not a feasible long-term strategy” as it will serve to alienate non-Malay voters, Azmil said, adding that grass roots members were keen to focus on bread-and-butter issues rather than issues of race and religion, in a country grappling with economic woes and high cost of living.
“Zahid’s return is an indicator of Umno’s orientation as he is the perfect person for an Umno predicated on race and religious rhetoric – but this won’t win the prize in the end.”
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