Friendly fire? Differing views on BlackRock don't signal Umno discord

SHAH ALAM - Differences in opinions among Umno's top leaders regarding BlackRock's involvement in restructuring Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB) do not signify internal party conflict detrimental to Umno.

According to Universiti Teknologi Mara Senior Lecturer in Political Science at the Faculty of Administrative Science and Policy Studies Mujibu Abd Muis, the contrasting views between Deputy Prime Minister and Umno President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and his Deputy Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan are merely personal perspectives.

"This is essentially a disagreement among top leaders. I believe it does not reflect the party's consensus and remains a matter of personal opinion," Mujibu told Sinar Premium.

Mujibu acknowledged the potential for opponents to exploit such disagreements, particularly during the Sungai Bakap by-election, which Umno aims to win to regain the state seat.

"While the party itself may not be adversely affected, individual statements made during election periods can carry weight, especially as the Unity Government seeks victory in Sungai Bakap," he noted.

He emphasised the importance of maintaining sensitivity regarding the Palestinian issue.

"While avoiding ties with Israel poses challenges and individual boycott decisions vary, Malaysia remains steadfast in its support for Palestine," Mujibu said.

On the BlackRock issue, Mujibu highlighted that Malaysia's airports are still under the ownership of MAHB and Khazanah Nasional Berhad (Khazanah).

"Although discussions continue, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has expressed clarity on the matter.

"Hence, it is crucial for all parties to handle this matter with sensitivity and refrain from politicising it," he added.

Earlier, Zahid refuted Mohamad's statement that Umno had urged Khazanah not to proceed with selling its MAHB stake to the pro-Israeli company.

Zahid clarified that Mohamad's views were personal and did not represent Umno's stance.

He affirmed Umno's alignment with the Prime Minister's decision regarding the MAHB shares sale to BlackRock Inc through Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and dismissed claims of internal discord within Umno.

Meanwhile, Universiti Sains Malaysia Centre for Social Studies lecturer Professor Datuk Dr Sivamurugan Pandian commented on the freedom of expression within Umno, noting that differing opinions demonstrate openness within the party.

He stressed the importance of managing the BlackRock issue to prevent negative perceptions among party members and political adversaries.

"Clear clarifications are necessary to prevent potential crises arising from differing views within the party," Sivamurugan suggested.

He also emphasised the need for consensus-building to address any internal disagreements effectively.

Sivamurugan further observed that such disagreements can highlight communication challenges within the party from a media perspective. "While dissent may exist, as expressed by Mohamad, Zahid's preference for a Cabinet consensus typically aligns with the Prime Minister's position," he said.