Najib, Muhyiddin quitting can end ‘Mexican’ standoff’

The top two Umno leaders should quit the party at the same time and let others find a way forward from the present “Mexican standoff "situation.

KUALA LUMPUR: A political analyst, having listened to the political grapevine, mutterings on the ground and surveyed the social media and coffee shop scene, has ventured in his latest blog posting that perhaps both the top two Umno leaders, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and sacked Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, should quit Umno and let others in the party find a way forward from the present “Mexican standoff” situation. “Since both Najib and Muhyiddin have split the party down the middle, both should leave at the same time. If it looks like Muhyiddin would replace him as Prime Minister, Najib would not want to quit the post but the former has no problems in shedding any such ambitions and making way for the sake of the party.”

“That’s the consensus on the ground. There’s widespread agreement that Najib is stubborn and continues to live in a state of denial. The reality on the ground is very different. Between Najib leaving and staying, the former option considerably brightens Umno’s prospects in the next General Election.”

Najib, said Shahbudin Husin the analyst, should think of the party, the government and the nation and not just about himself and the small circle around him. “If he does not do the right thing, the entire burden of responsibility will be on him for the party’s fate in the forthcoming General Election, the 14th, come 2018.”

“It’s clear that Najib has become a liability, has imposed unacceptable burdens on all. There’s no reason for him to continue in office. If he doesn’t leave, and leave soon, he will just continue to create difficulties for all, especially the party.”

Nevertheless, conceded the analyst, it will hinge entirely on Najib whether Umno would see changes in leadership before the next General Election. “If Umno and the Barisan Nasional (BN) intend to continue in power, there must be changes. Najib can no longer bring success for the ruling coalition. He can only cause and create further destruction.”

Surveying the present leaders in Umno, Shahbudin sees only Youth Leader Khairy Jamaluddin as having the confidence of generally the entire party, while not many are that confident in Vice-President Hishammuddin Hussein who was seen as a weak Home Minister. “There are even many members at the grassroots level who feel that a Hishammuddin and Khairy team, nevertheless,may be the best ever combination under the circumstances, to make the best of a bad situation, and move forward.”

“They are both seen as young enough to attract widespread support at the 14th General Election.”

Shahbudin was dismissing Umno Vice-President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as having no mass support among the people, his influence being confined just to Umno, especially a small group. “Even those who think that a Zahid and Hishammuddin team is possible, concede that the former may not be able to play his part in attracting support from among the people.”