Umno's defeat in GE15 not solely Ismail Sabri's fault, says analyst

SHAH ALAM - Umno's losses in the 15th general election (GE15) cannot be solely attributed to former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, according to political analyst Dr Mohamed Tawfik Yaakub from Universiti Malaysia (UM).

Instead, Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, who held the position of party secretary-general, should be held accountable.

"Ahmad had a significant role as an advisor to Umno President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, presenting data and acting as a think tank for the party.

"Despite Ismail Sabri's position as the highest-ranking government official, he had limited influence within the party," he said.

Ahmad had previously expressed his belief that Umno would have avoided the same defeat if the party had followed the strategy of holding GE15 after the Melaka and Johor state elections.

This remark was seen as a reference to a group of Umno leaders in government, led by Ismail Sabri.

He threw his views as a response towards the former Umno election director Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman who placed the blame on Ahmad following their loss in GE15.

Ahmad's statement was dismissed by Ismail Sabri, who stated that there were no comprehensive reports indicating Umno's ability to win the election at that time.

Ismail Sabri explained that reports from various agencies had shown that Barisan Nasional (BN) would not win if the election had taken place.

Tawfik commented further and highlighted the need for a change in Umno's top leadership and the emergence of fresh faces to avoid significant implications for the party in upcoming state elections.