JOHOR BAHRU - The willingness of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in rekindling ties with Perikatan Nasional (PN) Chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to fight for the Malays and Muslims is seen as a repeat of their alliance before the 14th General Election (GE14) in 2018.
Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim said in GE14, they (Mahathir, Muhyiddin) joined forces to overthrow then Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and this time, the alliance was meant to overthrow Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
However, he said, Anwar’s expected presence as a guest of honour at the Umno General Assembly’s opening session on June 9, together with leaders from 19 component parties that made up the Unity Government proved the close relationship between the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman and Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
"This is the second time in a month or two that Anwar has come to the Umno headquarters, a political party that fights for the Malay agenda as its core purpose and goal of its struggle.
"On the opposition side, we have the combination of Muhyiddin and Pas President Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang... but now with Mahathir who will present their national narrative of Malays and Islam as the pillars of their struggle.
"Therefore, what about the pillars of the struggle of Anwar, Zahid and the leadership of the 19 component parties of the Unity Government?
"Perhaps the narrative of the Unity Government is the Malaysia Madani? If so, can that philosophy (Malaysia Madani) compete with the Muslim Malay narrative brought by the PN and Proclamation of the Malays from Mahathir?” he said on his Facebook page on Friday afternoon.
Commenting on the upcoming elections in six states and GE16 being four years away, Hassan said it would create a clash between the dominant political blocs, the Malaysia Madani Unity Government and the Malay Islamic opposition bloc.
He said Anwar from the multi-racial Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR and DAP), a party with a Chinese majority, had to accept that the Malay-Muslim factor was crucial for their political survival.
"Anwar (Ibrahim), as a Prime Minister, may be more popular than Muhyiddin, Zahid or Mahathir but is seen as still not having enough support from Malay Muslim voters, without backing from Umno.
"But Umno now under the leadership of Zahid is not the Umno during the Tunku Abdul Rahman or Tun Abdul Razak’s leadership because it is seen as incapable of fighting for the fate of the Malays, let alone protecting them (Malays).
"Even the fate of the Umno President in court is still uncertain. Whether he will be free or go to jail like Najib?” he said.
Meanwhile, Hassan said Anwar was currently seen as obsessed with Umno until Lokman Noor Adam was appointed as the political spokesman for the Unity Government.
In fact, some believe that Anwar had leaned too much towards Umno to get Malay Muslim support through the party.
Lokman questioned the fate of PKR, DAP and Parti Amanah Negara, which had fought for various races all the time.