KUALA LUMPUR: Umno’s failure to clearly explain how it came to be part of the unity government has fuelled dissatisfaction among grassroots and supporters, says a Selangor Umno delegate.
Selayang Umno chief Datuk Hasnal Rezua Merican Habib said party grassroots, including its Malay voters, have blamed the top leadership for going against the party's principles due to the incomplete narrative of the formation of the current unity government.
“Since the episode where Barisan had cooperated with Pakatan to form the government, there are still those who point fingers at the top leadership for doing so, instead of with Perikatan Nasional.
“Three years have passed, but at the grassroots level, it is still being discussed,” he said when debating the president’s policy speech at the 2025 Umno General Assembly here, Friday (Jan 16).
Hasnal Rezua Merican said Umno has to correct the narrative today, while recalling the timeline on how Umno joined the unity government back in 2022.
He highlighted that the 15th General Election saw two main coalitions with the highest majority, namely Pakatan with 82 seats and Perikatan with 74 seats. Barisan, meanwhile, held 30 seats.
The two coalitions with the highest majority were called by the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to discuss forming the government of the day.
“After Perikatan refused to form the government with Pakatan, there was a vacancy that needed to be filled. Barisan and GPS were then called to meet with the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
“It was conveyed that Umno wanted to be a dignified Opposition, but we were asked by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong why we should be in Opposition when we can be part of the government. The priority at the time was to form a government,” he said.
The outcome of the 15th General Election resulted in a hung parliament where no major coalition could secure a simple majority of 112 seats to form the federal government.
This then led to the formation of the unity government between Pakatan, Barisan, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and others.
