Malaysia election could be as soon as Jan, Umno leaders hint

Kuala Lumpur

MALAYSIA'S upcoming general election could be held as soon as January, Umno leaders hinted on Tuesday as the country's biggest political party holds its annual meeting.

Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi, who is Umno's acting deputy president, told the party wings at its launch on Tuesday evening that Umno has to receive a resounding victory at the ballot box. "The 14th General Elections draw closer ... Come January or March, or whichever month for that matter, we will brave through it," said Mr Zahid.

In a closed door briefing earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is also Umno president, mentioned in passing the month of January when speaking to delegates about gearing up for polls.

But not everyone in Umno thinks the hint is literal. "He said that by January we must be there (ready). It's not the date," said Umno information chief Annuar Musa. "The message is to do it now, do not delay, settle all the problems, stay focused and get prepared for general elections," Mr Annuar added, when queried by reporters.

Umno, the country's ruling party, has been in power since independence in 1957. At the last election held in May 2013, the Umno-led Barisan Nasional ruling coalition lost the majority vote for the first time.

Umno leaders have been hinting towards polls since last year, but with the election due by August 2018, the party's top brass is now framing up the timeline.

In Mr Najib's recent budget announcement, he offered one-off payments to civil servants, village chiefs and religious figureheads.

The first tranche of the RM1,500 (S$498) payment will be made in January 2018. Meanwhile, the popular cash handout for the poor, BR1M, will distribute its first payment in February.

With Umno's community-style politics entrenched in rural and semi-rural areas where grassroots members act as community leaders and party machinery in canvassing votes, the government's giveaways often act as indicators towards elections.

The Najib administration has also been working at addressing frustration over the rising cost of living and housing issues.

Budget sweeteners, such as a RM6.5 billion allocation for the farming sector which comes into effect next month, will serve to soften the blow felt by middle- and lower-income groups.

Mr Najib himself hasn't been shy in publicly asking for a bigger support block in the upcoming elections, telling female delegates at a gathering on Monday that he would introduce a quota of female senators if handed a stronger mandate.

His deputy, Mr Zahid, echoed his sentiments. "We do not want a win just to form the government with a simple majority through the first-past-the-post system, we want to command two-thirds of the parliamentary seats with an even bigger majority," he said.

"Most importantly, we shall possess the winning mentality."

Mr Najib also wants Umno to resolve internal tensions to ensure a smooth election. He told party chiefs Umno must place victory in the election ahead of personal ambitions, and resolve its internal tensions "like a family".

In the closed-door briefing to top and grassroots leaders across all party wings, Mr Najib said a committee would look into "conflict resolution" to ensure a smooth campaign for the election, sources who attended the meeting told The Straits Times (ST).

Umno started its five-day general assembly with the traditional presidential briefing on the party's immediate challenges. "He (PM Najib) said Umno has three relationship problems - among Umno members, between Umno and elected representatives, and between Umno and components of the Barisan Nasional coalition," said an attendee at the briefing.

Mr Najib called on members to compromise on election candidacy and have faith in a new selection methodology which has brought results in recent by-elections.

"PM Najib said those who have been candidates can make way for others as there are many ways to serve if the party remains in power," a source told ST.

Umno has internally overcome its crisis involving state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), though the issue is far from settled outside the party.

US Attorney-General Jeff Sessions said in Washington on Monday that the Department of Justice "is working to provide justice to the victims of this alleged scheme".

"In total, 1MDB officials allegedly laundered more than US$4.5 billion in funds through a complex web of opaque transactions and fraudulent shell companies with bank accounts in countries ranging from Switzerland and Singapore to Luxembourg and the United States. This is kleptocracy at its worst," Mr Sessions said at the Global Forum on Asset Recovery hosted by the US and the UK.

1MDB's troubles made global headlines in 2015 when more than US$700 million was found in Mr Najib's personal bank accounts, deposited via companies linked to the state investment fund.

It has not been proven that Mr Najib had anything to do with this and he has insisted the money was a donation from Saudi royals, and has been cleared in Malaysia of any alleged wrongdoing.