Faisal Hazis said Umno's new president would have to put in significant effort to turn the Malay nationalist party around. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 — Despite Umno’s devastating loss in the general election, observers viewed the party as still resorting to communal politics after it targeted Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng for issuing Chinese translations of his ministry’s statements.

Ahead of the party’s internal election today, political observers told Malay Mail there was only one way Umno would shed such tactics — an overhaul of its top leadership so it can move from race-based politics and be more inclusive.

“Umno now is still the old Umno, which has yet to see a change in leadership. Without the change, there would be no new direction for the party and they will go back to their old roots,” said Faisal Hazis of the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies.

“Umno itself is a big ship. To see changes, it would take many years and a lot of sacrifices.”

Explaining that Umno is likely to default back to racial politics despite the clear voter rejection, he said its new president would have to put in significant effort to turn the Malay nationalist party around.

This was patent in party members’ unfavourable response to presidential candidate Khairy Jamaluddin’s suggestion for Umno to be opened up to non-Malays in a bid to be more multiracial.

Another candidate, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, said outright that those who want a multiracial party should join the rival DAP and not Umno.

The Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia associate professor explained that Umno was still blighted by a culture of blind loyalty to party leaders, which he said was an obstacle to its rejuvenation.

With over half of its 191 division chiefs returned to power uncontested last week, he said party warlords remained very much in control, raising questions about Umno’s true appetite for reforms.

“Whomever becomes the new leader will need to push for inclusivity and at the same time push forward the Malay narrative as well,” Faizal said.

“As we can see, the ones currently helming the wings are people with old and traditional Umno mindset.”

Expressing hope that Umno would select a strong and progressive leader to instil the same virtues in the party, he said the country still needs a convincing opposition to keep the ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition in check.

Umno leaders criticised Lim this week for issuing Chinese language translations of his ministry’s official statements, insisting these may only be in Bahasa Malaysia that is the national language..

Although Lim’s ministry also issued English translations of the same statements, Umno took issue only with the Chinese versions.

Today, Umno will choose from among Tengku Razaleigh, Khairy, vice president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, and two other minor contenders to lead the party.

All three frontrunners have targeted Lim for the statement. Tengku Razaleigh was quoted calling the act “stupid” and accused the DAP secretary-general of “playing with fire”.

Umno’s KLCC branch leader also lodged a police report over the issue, claiming Lim contravened Article 152(1) and Article 152(6) of the Federal Constitution.

Article 152(1) states that the national language is the Malay language that must be used for official purposes, while Article 152(6) defines “official purposes” as the functions of state and federal governments or a public authority.

Azmi Hassan explained that reverting to communal politics was tempting as it could allow Umno to consolidate Malay support and emerge as a significant threat to PH. — Picture by Saw Siow Feng

Geopolitical analyst Azmi Hassan explained that Umno’s strength has always lied with the Malay community, as reflected in its performance in previous elections.

As such, he said the party’s response was only natural given its claims of championing Malay rights and ideology that skews conservative on matters concerning the country’s dominant race.

While expectations are that Umno will seek to reform, Azmi explained that reverting to communal politics was tempting as it could allow the party to consolidate Malay support and emerge as a significant threat to PH.

“For Umno to keep quiet on this issue is not in sync with its responsibility to safeguard the official language,” he explained.

“Umno seems to be swinging to the extreme right because of the Opposition tag. But their ideology remains the same and its direction is to consolidate its Malay-based support.”

Last week, Umno Youth elected Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, a former deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, as its leader and the wing’s former information chief, Shahril Hamdan, as his deputy.

But controversial blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, also known as Papagomo, also made it into the executive committee while fugitive Sungai Besar Umno chief Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos still received two votes in his bid as the wing’s chief.

Azmi insisted, however, that the more extreme pro-Malay elements still remained in the party’s fringes.

“Even though Jamal can be considered as an ultra-Malay rights’ defender, but majority of Umno members still rejected Jamal. The recent results of the Youth election is the testament of the new Umno Youth,” he said.

Political analyst Datuk Samsu Adabi Mamat said Umno can still play a significant role in championing the Malay rights — as long as it also contributes to the development of the country and takes care not to hurt the other races and faiths.

“Umno needs a fresh face for its party leadership and it needs to distance itself from money politics, which was what had destroyed the party,” said Samsu Abadi, who lost the Putrajaya seat as a Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia candidate.

“We have to accept that in Malaysia, there is no issue in championing the rights of races but you have to be able to do so without intruding others and imposing quotas,” he said.

Besides the presidency, Umno will also choose between former Negri Sembilan mentri besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Kelantan warlord Tan Sri Annuar Musa for the deputy president’s post.

A total of 124 names will also be vying for the 25 seats on its Supreme Council.