Members of the media waiting outside the main entrance to the Umno headquarters on May 9, 2018. — TODAY pic

KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 — There was a sense of disquiet at the Kuala Lumpur headquarters of the United Malays National Organisation (Umno), the party led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, following an unofficial declaration of victory by opposition alliance Pakatan Harapan.

The few party officials who showed up did not want to say anything to the more than 100 Malaysian and international media personnel who had gathered last night (May 9) at the Menara Dato Onn skyscraper in the capital city.

The long wait began at around 7pm, two hours after voting closed, when the media gathered at a hall in the building. With more reporters than supporters and nothing much happening, many members of the press proceeded to camp outside the tower’s entrance for a chance to catch any officials arriving at the scene.

Umno’s vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein showed up at around 8.40pm, but he went straight up to the party’s headquarters without speaking to the media.

The party’s deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was said to have arrived at around 9pm through another entrance, though it could not be confirmed.

Datuk Seri Najib was expected to hold a press conference at around 11pm, but that did not happen.

Instead, at slightly past 11.30pm, Pakatan Harapan’s chairman Mahathir Mohamad held a press conference at Sheraton Hotel in Kuala Lumpur declaring that the opposition alliance has secured a simple majority of at least 112 parliament seats. He also claimed that the pact has won Penang, Selangor, Malacca, Kedah, Negeri Sembilan and Johor.

In his speech, Tun Dr Mahathir said that based on unofficial tallies, the opposition pact has won at least 112 seats, enough to form a parliamentary majority and the next government.

The former Malaysian prime minister also accused election officials of withholding results, and in less than an hour, the Election Commission held a press briefing. Its chairman Mohd Hashim Abdullah pleaded for more time to tabulate the results.

The disquiet at the party central last night was reminiscent of the General Election back in 2008, when the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional was caught unaware as results streamed in to reveal that it had lost the two-third parliamentary majority.

Shortly after Tun Dr Mahathir’s speech made news headlines, Umno’s executive secretary Ab Rauf Yusof emerged at 12.15am to leave the building. Asked where he was going, he simply said “pergi makan” (going to eat) and did not answer any other questions.

By 1.30am, an official from Umno finally told reporters that there will be a press conference at 11am today at the Putra World Trade Centre — which is next to Menara Dato Onn and used often for party functions — but refused to say who will be present at the event.

The media camp then decided to converge at Datuk Seri Najib’s home in Kuala Lumpur after hearing news that some Umno leaders had gathered there.

Umno’s acting deputy president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor were spotted leaving the bungalow and did not speak to anyone.

Other Umno members were also seen on the premises.

Speaking to reporters outside the residence, Umno’s youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said that “the will of the people” will be respected, adding that party chief Najib will be issuing a statement today.

“Whatever it is, we need to respect the will of the people... We need to make sure the election result is respected and we move on.” A gloomy situation is pictured at Johor state Umno House, May 9, 2018. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Similarly low turnout of Umno supporters in Johor

Over at the Umno headquarters in Johor, there were just a handful of supporters and staff members present at around 7pm.

A large tent was set up for supporters, with seats provided and a large TV screen broadcasting news, but the seats were empty. The crowd did not grow significantly as the night wore on.

It was unclear if caretaker Johor chief minister Datuk Mohamed Khaled Nordin was there. He did not speak to the media, but his press secretary Ahmad Asri Khalbi told TODAY that Khaled will hold a press conference at 11am today.

For Pakatan Harapan, a news conference was scheduled to take place at the nearby Thistle Hotel at 11pm, but as of 1.45am, it had not happened, with reporters receiving conflicting information.

The media first heard that the president of the opposition party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, Datuk Seri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also Pakatan Harapan’s deputy president, would be there.

It later emerged that he was in Kuala Lumpur, appearing at the news conference by Tun Dr Mahathir.

Eventually, Pakatan Harapan’s vice-president Salahuddin Ayub kicked off the press conference about 2.45am. — TODAY