Hishammuddin's return to Umno seen as ‘elitist pardon'
Universiti Malaya socio-political analyst Datuk Prof Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said the move to readmit the senior figure without any public explanation risked fuelling dissatisfaction among grassroots members and could potentially destabilise the party internally.
'In the post-15th General Election (GE15) era, Umno is actively seeking a new identity to regain the trust of the younger generation. Hishammuddin's return only reinforces the perception that Umno remains trapped under the shadow of its old elite warlords.
'Hishammuddin is seen by many as having shown a clear inclination towards cooperating with Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional (PN), particularly in the aftermath of GE15. Such actions could be interpreted as a betrayal of the GE15 mandate given to the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional (PH-BN) coalition and a blow to party unity.
'Prior to this, his name was also linked to Umno's party-hopping crisis in Sabah following GE14.
'Reinstating him without any open clarification to the party base will only provoke anger and discontent, ultimately harming internal cohesion,' Awang told Sinar.
His remarks came in response to Umno Sembrong Division's renewed motion calling for Hishammuddin's suspension to be lifted immediately and unconditionally.
Awang also stressed that if the party leadership was seriously considering Hishammuddin's return, it must be on a conditional basis accompanied by efforts to restore his image and demonstrate ethical, accountable political conduct.
'This might include a formal public apology to the party over his alleged involvement in attempts to forge a secret alliance with the PN without party mandate after GE15.
'He should also retract any past statements or actions that were in conflict with Umno's official stance. A clear commitment is essential to ensure he no longer brings in a proxy agenda or factions that may lead to further division within the party,' he said.
When asked about Hishammuddin's relevance in Umno's current leadership landscape, Awang said his return would likely not have a significant impact.
'I don't see any major effect if the former vice-president is reinstated, particularly because there are other Umno leaders who have remained steadfast in their commitment to the party, even during difficult times,' he added.
He noted that several figures, especially from Johor such as Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said and Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan have stood their ground and avoided alliances with rival parties like Bersatu or PN.
These individuals, he added, served as strong examples of loyal and principled leadership.
Awang added that current Umno leaders such as Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani and Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail also have the potential to work alongside the party president in leading its recovery and revival ahead of the next general election.
Nonetheless, he acknowledged that every individual and division within Umno has the right to express opinions, submit appeals and propose motions.
'In the end, it is up to the Umno Supreme Council to consider these views and make a decision, just as is the case in other political parties,' he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
About 30 DAP MPs visit Umno HQ for TVET briefing by Zahid
KUALA LUMPUR: Nearly 30 DAP members of parliament made a historic visit to the Umno headquarters at Menara Dato Onn earlier this week, signalling growing maturity and cooperation within the unity government. The MPs were attending a briefing on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), hosted by Deputy Prime Minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who also chairs the national TVET Council. Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin, in his Facebook post, described the occasion as a first for both parties, marking a significant milestone in post-GE15 political collaboration. "It marked the first time that such a large group of DAP MPs visited Umno's headquarters, a sign of maturity and cooperation within the unity government," Chan said. "The Madani government is not perfect. But we are serious in discharging our responsibilities. We are working to overcome ideological and party differences for the sake of national progress. Nation-building requires unity, not uniformity, and that's the spirit we're committed to," he said. Among the DAP leaders present were party secretary-general Anthony Loke, adviser Lim Guan Eng, and vice-chairman Chong Chieng Jen. The meeting also saw the attendance of Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani and Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, reflecting the broad-based support behind the government's TVET reform agenda. Umno's alliance with DAP in the formation of the unity government following the 2022 general election marked a dramatic shift in Malaysia's political dynamics. Once fierce adversaries, the two parties have since taken steps to demonstrate a new spirit of bipartisan cooperation. In June last year, Loke made headlines as the first DAP leader to attend the Umno general assembly alongside Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Several months later, Zahid, Asyraf and Barisan Nasional secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir attended DAP's national convention. The rare show of unity comes amid a series of developments that have further defined the government's agenda in recent weeks. Among them was the tabling of the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) by Anwar, which sets out a strategic five-year blueprint to elevate Malaysia into a formidable middle power. The plan outlines long-term priorities in economic resilience, innovation and inclusive growth. Separately, Malaysia also secured a revision to a previously imposed 25 per cent US import tariff, bringing it down to 19 per cent. The move is expected to benefit local industries, especially rubber glove and furniture manufacturers, who can now compete on a more level playing field with Asean counterparts. Chan said these achievements demonstrated that the government's consistent, strategic approach was yielding results. "PMX has proven that his strategy works, and it's time we continue to stand behind him," he said.
Focus Malaysia
2 hours ago
- Focus Malaysia
TunM challenges PMX to hold GE to prove his mandate but instead told to spend his twilight years in peace
THE nation's chief gauntlet thrower is at it again – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has openly challenged his once protégé and current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to dissolve parliament and to hold snap elections. Posting on his Facebook page, the centurion sarcastically applauded PMX for his bravery in challenging the opposition to table a motion of 'no confidence' in the Dewan Rakyat. The twice former premier stated the reason for PMX's boldness was that the latter knew the motion would not succeed. This is simply because many parliamentarians feared reprisals if they did not back Anwar and the Madani government. The longest serving PM in the world also claimed that there were those who would end up behind bars if they withheld support for PMX, clearly referring to UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who was controversially granted a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) for his 47 graft-linked charges. The removal of budgetary provisions was also used as a weapon to intimidate MPs, hence the support within the Dewan Rakyat was based on fear. 'Retire for good, TunM' To further illustrate this climate of intimidation, Dr Mahathir also claimed that UMNO members were warned against joining the Turun Anwar rally on July 26. The elderly statesman who lost his deposit in the 2022 national polls went on to argue that PMX needs to seek legitimacy by dissolving parliament and seek a fresh mandate from the electorate. After all, his once-disciple-turned-nemesis is only in Putrajaya because he interfered with the trial of certain political figures to garner their party's support in Parliament. Moreover, it was argued that PMX has nothing to fear as his sycophants had reported a low turnout for the Turun Anwar protest. As expected, there were plenty of reactions to the post with it having already generated 14K likes, 1K shares and 7.3K comments at the time of writing. One commenter pleaded with Dr Mahathir who had administered Malaysia for '22 years and 22 months' to use his influence in nation-building instead by focusing on 'economy, peace and growth'. Others were less diplomatic, pointing out that Tun M would never be happy even if PMX won the 16th General Election (GE16) for a second term. It would then be an endless cycle of demands for national polls followed by calls for a no confidence ad nauseum, claimed one commenter. Another called for patience as polls were just two years away. Dr Mahathir could then set a new record in Langkawi by being the oldest electoral candidate ever. He also chided the former Bersatu and Pejuang founder that he could be the first ex-premier to lose a deposit twice! It was also pointed out that the electorate had already rejected both Dr Mahathir and his progeny in the last election when they both lost their deposits. But the centenarian's ultra-thick hide prevents him from acknowledging this. One commenter advised Dr Mahathir to let PMX carry forward the nation in a fast-changing digital world, believing the country is on good hands. He also contended that the wealth of the latter's offspring will be untouched so long as investigations show they are not ill-gotten. One netizen perhaps offered the best advice to the elder statesman – 'Tun's era has past, be aware that the country needs change'. – Aug 1, 2025
Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
In historic first, DAP MPs attend Zahid-led TVET briefing at Umno HQ
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 — More than 30 DAP MPs visited the Umno headquarters in a rare display of cross-party cooperation, in what Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin called a sign of growing maturity in Malaysia's political landscape. The group attended a briefing on technical and vocational education and training (TVET) earlier this week at Menara Dato Onn, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. The visit marked the first time such a large number of DAP lawmakers had set foot in the headquarters of their one-time political adversary. Reflecting on the visit, Chan said on Facebook that the gesture reflected the unity government's commitment to working across party lines. 'We are working to overcome ideological and party differences for the sake of national progress. Nation-building requires unity, not uniformity — and that's the spirit we're committed to,' he wrote. Based on a group photo from the event, the DAP leaders who attended the briefing included party secretary-general Anthony Loke, adviser Lim Guan Eng and vice-chairman Chong Chieng Jen. Also seen were Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Ghani and secretary-general Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki. Chan also described the event as one of several key developments this week that signal the government's direction, including the tabling of the 13th Malaysia Plan by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and a revised US tariff rate that could benefit Malaysian exporters. The unity government, he acknowledged, was 'not perfect' — but he stressed that its leaders were serious about fulfilling their responsibilities. 'PMX has proven that his strategy works — and it's time we continue to stand behind him,' Chan added, citing the tariff revision as a sign of the prime minister's steady diplomacy paying off. DAP and Umno, once fierce rivals, now share power under the Anwar-led unity government formed after the 2022 general election.
