Commentary: UMNO's break with Bersatu could come at a high price for Malaysia

, its partner in the Perikatan Nasional government.

UMNO leaders are also extremely angry Bersatu has sidelined them in government posts and government contracts. Despite being the largest party with the biggest numbers of elected MPs in March 2020, UMNO only had nine Cabinet positions and few of the plum posts.Muhyiddin’s gameplan to split UMNO has failed. His champion, Minister of Federal Territories Annuar Musa, who argued that UMNO should work with Bersatu, has been completely sidelined.

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was a close ally of Najib Razak, who suffered a shock election defeat in 2018 over allegations he oversaw the plundering of billions of dollars from a state fund The best commentaries and analysis to better help you see beyond today’s news headlines. Subscribe to CNA’s Commentary newsletter.This service is not intended for persons residing in the EU. By clicking subscribe, I agree to receive news updates and promotional material from Mediacorp and Mediacorp's partners.

The unintended consequence of UMNO’s break with Bersatu is the leverage other parties in the coalition have gained. It has placed PAS, with 18 parliamentary seats, in a powerful position. PAS could play kingmaker but it is likely to do nothing. And with Muhyiddin weakened by UMNO’s planned departure, GPS can extract concessions from the prime minister. After all, the Sarawak state election is just months away and GPS needs all the resources it can get to win big.While the press concentrated on UMNO’s impeding PN exit and the implications for party politics, a far more important announcement with larger ramifications for Malaysia’s political future from Zahid was lost in the massive media blitz.

One such thorny area is child custody after one spouse converts to Islam and then coverts the children, leaving the non-Muslim spouse in an impossible position. This is a dangerous, polarising move that could galvanise non-Muslim voters behind the opposition Democratic Action Party and Anwar Ibrahim’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat . Many non-Muslim bumiputera in East Malaysia are concerned whether this populist attempt could lead to a slippery slope that gradually imposes Islam on the country.UMNO’S WITHDRAWAL IS NOT FINAL

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