YOURSAY | Najib's pardon bid remains bone of contention among allies

YOURSAY | 'Umno should realise it has a better future with Harapan.'

Puad doubts govt survival after Amanah call to reject Najib pardon

Bobbyo: This sensitive issue should have been settled internally and not played out in the media.

As Amanah is part of the coalition, there should be no statements made to irritate or cause misunderstanding within the coalition.

Umno supreme council member Mohd Puad Zarkashi should realise that it is not only Amanah chairperson Khalid Samad's stand but also the stand of millions of Malaysians.

Umno should stop this pardon application for former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak. He has not apologised for his actions or returned any of the stolen money.

Secondly, it is too early to apply for a pardon, as Najib has many other cases to clear. Thirdly, why is Umno raising this matter now?

Are not the state elections and their outcome more important? Why is Umno giving the opposition more ammunition to use, by bringing forward this appeal for pardon?

Is there a bigger agenda here, as there seems to be talk of another coup being planned? How far is Umno involved in it or how many of their MPs?

Umno should realise it has a better future with Pakatan Harapan.

It has a free hand, while Perikatan Nasional (PN) would not allow Umno to return to the numero uno position.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is working so hard to try and win back the Malay support. The open houses during this festive season are bearing fruit as thousands of Malays have attended them to welcome Anwar.

Umno has a chance to capitalise on this opportunity to get support for themselves, instead of bickering within the coalition.

So stop this ridiculous infighting, Puad, as it does not bring any benefit to both sides. Stop threatening the government.

If today you have the state elections in Malacca, Johor or even Pahang, you can be assured Umno will lose many seats, as it has not regained Malay support. Work on it first. Puad.

LimePanther5220: Now it seems that Umno has only one mission for its existence, namely to secure Najib’s release. It is the only reason why it has teamed up with Harapan and other allies to form the government.

If the government falls, why should Umno’s allies bear the blame just because they don’t share Umno’s call to release Najib? Why should they compromise their principles and sell their souls? Umno is solely to be blamed for holding the government at ransom.

Instead of using a threatening tone on its allies, Umno should realise that it is spoiling things in the government.

If Harapan keeps its silence (meaning a tacit agreement to Najib’s release), the government will suffer in the next election as supporters may prefer to sit at home and not vote for them.

If Harapan voices out its opposition to Najib’s pardon (as Amanah has done), Umno may bail out and shift its support back to PN now that it is being wooed by PAS. Either way, the government’s survival is being threatened due to Umno’s actions.

Umno should realise that its political fortunes have been severely dented due to Najib’s corruption under 1MDB.

Harapan and other allies have thrown it a lifeline to revive the party. (If it joins up with PN, the party will be substantially reduced in significance and it may be replaced by Bersatu one day.)

The party can do much to reinvent its image by throwing off its arrogant persona and being ‘rakyat ‘centred.

Instead, it is squandering its chance by zeroing in on Najib’s release. The party should just cut off the rotten limb and move on.

Apanama is back: Let us ask ourselves a difficult question. Between Umno pulling out from the unity government leading to the collapse of the government and supporting Najib’s pardon, which one will we choose?

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, as well as Umno, will always be a liability in this coalition. Do not be carried away with 148 seats.

That 148 seats are akin to the Malay proverb, "Seperti telur dihujung tanduk” (Like an egg on the tip of a horn).

Puad is using that as Umno's bargaining chip.

One should know what is really on Umno’s mind. Its stand is that Najib should be pardoned because he did not get the party’s version of a fair trial.

Umno has a long history of disrespecting the law. They want things their way.

Therefore, to preserve the law, I would prefer it if Umno pulled support from the unity government and let it collapse.

I, for one, never let the law be disrespected. What is so great about this unity government if it spends every day living in fear of collapsing?

We can spin and twist whatever way we want, but ultimately, we need to make a choice.

Since the nation comes first, regardless of which party and who is the prime minister, the law should be preserved.

What will we do if Umno joins up with PAS even though Umno will be the third fiddle in the coalition?

If the present government can survive for five years, it should thank its lucky stars. Puad had proven that no lucky stars will be shining in the future.

Nothing is permanent in politics.

Salvage Malaysia: Frankly, this was never a ‘unity government’. If you still have PN as the opposition, the ‘unity government’ doesn’t exist.

It’s merely a minority government working with other parties to form a majority with opposition parties still abounding. Furthermore, the ideologies of these parties uniting together are just too different.

I agree with Puad. I don’t see how this is gonna last.

That’s why I have said so many times that this government needs to prove its competence and effectiveness by implementing forward-looking policies and doing it fast!

At least if forced to call for a fresh election, Anwar and Harapan can prove how well they have performed.

Alas, there is nothing much to show for it. Don’t say I didn’t warn Harapan.

You guys seem blinded by thinking you have the support of 148 MPs and it would be unlikely that you will lose your positions as part of the government.

Newday: Interesting that this party has been telling everyone outside of Umno that their application for a pardon for Najib is strictly an internal issue.

But now, apparently, if any of the unity government partners express opposition to the pardon bid, then this threatens the foundation of the government.

You have seriously externalised this matter, Umno. Never to be trusted.

Cowboy: Generally, Umno has calculated and knows that the benefits far outweigh its disadvantages if Umno remains in the government.

Even if the government collapses, there are no guarantees that Umno may form the next government with PN/PAS.

Even if they are included, they will be badly treated and will not get the same judicious held positions, probably just a few insignificant portfolios.

There are many good reasons for Umno to remain tight and tied with Harapan until the end of the term. Many in Umno's top leadership recognise that.

However, Umno still needs to manage hardcore Najib supporters to continue striving and controlling the party.

Therefore, it is essential from time to time to play the Najib narratives and look as though the top Umno leadership is still fighting for his release. But many on the top except a few have almost forgotten about the convict.

Sun: Puad forgets that Umno only has 30 seats in Parliament. It can contribute to a unity government but cannot guarantee or destroy it.

If all of Umno pulls out now, the unity government will still survive with 118 seats in parliament.

So, rather than accusing Amanah of being a poor ally, or making threats about the survival of the ruling government, just shut your mouth and work for the people you hope to represent.

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