On September 2, Malaysian media reported that party secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa said, UMNO will not cooperate with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim if he is appointed as prime minister.
UMNO, or United Malays National Organisation, is Malaysia's biggest political party and founding member of the Barisan Nasional coalition which, with its predecessor the Alliance, had been the government of Malaysia and dominated the country's politics from independence until 2018. All of Malaysia's prime ministers have had been members of UMNO until Mahathir Mohamad became the first prime minister from Pakatan Harapan, and the first prime minister to have tenures with two different parties.
Annuar, in his speech during the ‘Melayu Bangkit’ rally at Kampung Gajah here last night, said that the People's Justice Party (PKR) president is the one who will need UMNO’s help for political purposes someday.
“Anwar said he doesn’t need UMNO, but the reality is, UMNO never wanted him. But a time will come where he will need UMNO.”
He is referring to recent news that reported that Anwar would reject any cooperation with UMNO if he is appointed as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s successor.
According to the pre-election agreement among the four-party Pakatan Harapan bloc now in power, Anwar will succeed Mahathir as prime minister.
Mahathir is said to head the government for two years in the transition period before stepping down and handing it over to his successor.
“UMNO is not dead yet. Instead, it appears to be more powerful because the party did not depend on any individuals or leaders,” Annuar said.
However, Anwar Ibrahim said his statement on UMNO was misinterpreted.
In a Q&A with the New Strait Times Press dated September 1, on a question about future cooperation with UMNO, Anwar stated:
“ ... I believe UMNO needs to be a good opposition. But I have not heard of any collaboration. No one from UMNO has approached me for collaboration. There is no basis for such a thing. There maybe better things to be done for Malay unity, ...”
Source: Malay Mail, DW, New Strait Times