When the Umno supreme council came up with its decision at its recent meeting, what does it mean?

No, I am not referring to the party’s call for parliament and state legislative assemblies to reconvene during the current emergency. Nor am I talking about Umno wanting a RCI to be set up with regards to revelations made by former AG Tan Sri Tommy Thomas in his book “Justice In The Wilderness“.

Many had expected Umno to decide on the deadline for Umno ministers to quit the government, thus marking the party’s final end to whatever ties with Perikatan Nasional.

This was not mentioned in the media statement released after their meeting. Thus, it can be assumed the matter was not discussed, or it was discussed but Umno did not want to make it public for now.

Only God knows, or as a Muslim would say, Waullahualam.

Hence, my focus is the other decision the supreme council announced. That is Umno writing to the RoS and National Security Council (MKN) to seek advice and guidelines to hold its party election this year.

Bear in mind there are parties in Umno who feel holding party election before GE15 can split the party while some, seen as dissidents, are pushing for the polls to be held soonest possible.

Now that the supreme council has said the party would make enquiries with the RoS and MKN, it can be seen that Umno wants to hold their election this year.

With that comes this big question: will Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi defend his post of Umno president?

It’s no secret that pro-Bersatu forces within Umno want him out. So, if Zahid decides to make another bid for the presidency, will the haters, so to speak, challenge him?

I think yes. But who? Some names come to mind but let’s not speculate for now.

Back to Zahid. One does not have to be a political scientist to know that Bersatu will be “watching” the Umno polls closely with high hopes of seeing Zahid’s challenger emerging victorious.

Obviously an Umno president who is pro-Bersatu serves the best interest of Perikatan Nasional, and in particular, the Muhyiddin-led Bersatu.

A Bersatu-friendly Umno president will overturn the party’s decision to cut ties with PN and steer Umno to join the ruling coalition officially, lock, stock and barrel.

Zahid is a stumbling block to all that, and hence, must be removed as far as Bersatu is concerned.

However, Bersatu as well as their allies in Umno know all too well that defeating the president is no walk in the park.

Therefore, should Zahid not be removed from the Umno presidency, his political enemies would be looking forward for him to lead Umno/BN in GE15.

With Zahid as BN poster boy, all the charges he is facing in court will be exploited to the hilt.

Perikatan Nasional is hoping to do what Pakatan Harapan did to BN back in 2018 in riding on the tainted image of Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

But what if Zahid does not seek re-election? And instead make way for his deputy Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan to take over before party poll is called?

Tok Mat, as he is affectionately known, is admittedly viewed by friends and foes as untainted. He is regarded as capable, credible and seems to be likeable by not only Umno members but the general population.

Of course, his detractors within Umno accuse him of being all talk and no action. Still the question to ask is, will Mohamad as acting president be challenged when Umno election takes place? Or will he be given a free passage to be confirmed as president?

To many political observers, he is the right choice to lead Umno should Zahid decides to take a bow.

And should he be assisted by a deputy president in the likes of, say Johor Umno deputy chief Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed or former finance minister Datuk Seri Johari Ghani or even firebrand Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, Umno can be a formidable force once again.

Political observers agree that such a line-up is one Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional do not want to see. If not for anything else then for making things very difficult for Bersatu in wanting to realize its dream to be the ultimate Malay party.

Need I say that getting the votes of the majority community is crucial for the Muhyiddin administration?

But hang on. The big question is still this: What will Zahid do?

It all boils down to that. The ball, as they say, is at his feet.

(Mohsin Abdullah is a veteran journalist and now a freelancer who writes about this, that and everything else.)