Zafrul angles for the sack from Umno as Anwar stretches to embrace him - but which seat will be 'sacrificed'?

 

Written by Stan Lee, PoliticsNow Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (politicsnowmy.blogspot.com) - The horse-trading is still escalating behind the scenes but to some insiders, it is pretty much certain that international trade minister Tengku Zafrul is angling to be sacked from Umno so that he can join Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's PKR party soon - and this could come sooner than most expect.

"Of course this is all a sandiwara (or shadow play) whipped by the Anwaristas. And of course not, Umno will not pull out from the Anwar unity government if Zafrul joins PKR, no matter how they scream and shout now," an insider in Anwar's Pakatan Harapan coalition told PoliticsNow Malaysia. 

The insider was referring to Anwar's loyalists in PKR, one of four parties including DAP, Amanah and Upko that form Pakatan, the main coalition in Anwar's multi-alliance unity government which also includes Umno.

"The haughty, almost insulting, tone adopted by Zafrul in his statement makes this clear. He is an Umno supreme council member and as such, there's no way he can escape disciplinary action or the other 'warlords' in the party as well as the grassroots will lose respect for Zahid (the Umno president)," the insider added.

Indeed it was startling for Zafrul to publicly rebuke his own party's objection to what Anwar has confirmed were "preliminary discussions" to join PKR as "petty" - especially when those who have spoken out include Umno president Zahid Hamidi, secretary-general  Asyraf Dusuki and youth chief Akmal Saleh. 

“I believe the people of Malaysia are fed up with petty and unhealthy politics," Zafrul had said in a post on X.

“I have not made any decision regarding the membership of any party, although, as mentioned by the Prime Minister, there have been discussions about this with the relevant parties. When I make a decision, I will certainly do it with proper etiquette and formally inform the leadership of my party,” added Zafrul, referring to Zahid's caustic comment that he had failed to inform Umno of his intentions.

LURE OF THE CM'S POST

Yet the lure of heading PKR's jewel in the crown - the state government of Selangor, the country richest state - is likely to be irresistible to Zafrul. Now the minister of international trade in Anwar's federal government, Zafrul is due to loose this position when his term as Senator ends next year.

While no one doubts the post of Selangor chief minister is sufficient to satiate Zafrul's lofty ambition, there remains many convolutions to resolve, even if all goes according to plan and he joins PKR whether after being sacked from Umno or if he resigns on his own volition.

"No, the problem is not about whether Umno ditches Anwar if PKR accepts Zafrul. Obviously Umno won't sacrifice all its other cushy posts in Anwar's Cabinet, government-linked companies and statutory agencies just because of Zafrul. All of them and this includes Zafrul, Anwar, Zahid, PKR as well as Umno, will hide behind the Selangor sultan and make it seem as if they have no choice but to respect royal wishes," said the insider.. 

"The actual dilemma is that Zafrul still needs his own seat to become chief minister. So who in Selangor PKR or DAP or Amanah will Anwar force to vacate his or her seat and pave the way for Zaful?"

BENDING OVER BACKWARDS FOR UMNO, ZAHID & NAJIB?

Indeed, the challenges ahead for Zafrul to become chief minister are not small and this is why there has been speculation that the top levels of PKR and Umno had hatched the plot to 'transfer' Zafrul.

The motives are still not clear but include the Umno's top leadership, with Anwar's help, using Zafrul to gain a position of influence in the Selangor state government. Another possibility is that Anwar is using Zafrul to pre-empt PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli from becoming too powerful. Many in Pakatan  also see Anwar as bending over backwards to please the Selangor Sultan since Zafrul is part of the royal family.

"Frankly the only ones I can see Anwar bending over backwards for are Zahid and former prime minister Najib Razak because these two Umno bigwigs are the ones who determine if Umno stays and supports him as PM or dumps him and collapses his unity government

"There are multiple ways to show respect to the Selangor ruler, it doesn't have to be Zafrul as chief minister. And Amirudin Shari the current chief minister already has a letter from the Palace showing the Sultan wants him to stay on until the next election. So hiding behind the Sultan no longer makes sense. 

What's for sure is politicians shout the loudest when they have the most to hide. Going by the way Umno bigwigs have jumped on the Zafrul news, which coincidentally was leaked via an Umno source to the media, and how Anwar personally confirmed "preliminary" talks had been held, the actual motive is likely to be the most controversial.  

"If there is no drama about obeying royal decrees from the Palace or theatrics from Umno about leaving the unity government, how is Anwar to control those in PKR or DAP and Amanah who oppose Zafrul being helicoptered into the chief minister's post," said the insider. 

"After all, Zafrul is basically just a fancy banker with almost zero grassroots support. Why should it be him to replace Amiruddin and not others who have served Pakatan loyally and waited in queue all these years. Even within Umno, there are those who will oppose Zahid and Najib for favoring Zafrul. Hence the melodrama to deflect attention and the threats to frighten and shut up the Zafrul opposers," the insider added.

"Only until Zahid and Najib can no longer squeeze anything from Anwar, will Umno be serious about withdrawing from the unity government. Right now, they can still korek (which is Malay for dig for favors), so it's just all hot air  " the insider said.

He was referring to Zahid's "second durian", the term used to describe the second time that Anwar's prosecutors had withdrawn the corruption charges against Zahid recently. Anwar had also asked the current King to decide on Najib's "house detention" - which to some political watchers was akin to securing a second royal pardon for Najib, who already has had his 12-year jail sentence for corruption cut by half.

Written by Stan Lee, PoliticsNow Malaysia

https://politicsnowmy.blogspot.com/

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