According to a high position holder in UMNO, July 16th is the deadline given for ROS to make a decision to approve the amendment to the party's constitution and postphone party election after GE15 made at the recent EGM.
Legally, UMNO has complied with the spirit and words of the party's constitution. The official said UMNO have fully complied with the ROS requirements.
It is believed a retired ROS official assisted to checklist the documentations. A staff from PWTC have been going back and forth daily to liaise with ROS and meeting up with their every request.
Feedback has been positive. Unless the conspiracy circulating in PASleak alleged report turned out true, ROS has approved. Lawyer and former officer to a previous Pahang MB,
Shamsuddin Nawawi claimed the same in his FB yesterday morning. According to news portal
MalaysiaPost, Ismail Sabri have been notified.
Sources believed the approval letter was prepared and signed by the authorised ROS official, but awaiting approval from a superior before being handed to UMNO headquarter.
ROS approval
Despite the common believe within UMNO, it is unlikely of Hamzah Zainuddin to intervene and reject. It could perpetually block his option to return to UMNO. More importantly, the seconder of the motion to amend the constitution is no less than the PM himself.
Rejecting it will put both PM and Putrajaya Camp in a bad light. It will obliterate any chance for Ismail Sabri to secure from infuriated grassroot members' vote should he attempt to run for UMNO Presidency before GE15. Asyraf Wajidi has indirectly pointed this out by his
awkward intended statement that PM is above ROS official.
If the ROS letter did not reach PWTC by Monday morning, UMNO will apply a Mandamus writ to the court, similar to the application made by MUDA to secure their party approval.
This will certainly put a bad light on ROS to be ordered by the court to do their work. It could be the precedent for more Mandamus application on other pen pushing Government Departments.
Tajuddin stunt no impact
On the other hand, they seemed to chorus Nazri Aziz's campaign for Ismail's Presidency with the tired line of Zahid Hamidi agreed for Anwar to be Prime Ministership.
Anwar repeated at his PKR party convention that he received UMNO support but churned out a new narrative that he refused to be working with corruption. Rafizi Ramli refused to buy that and explicitly rejected any idea of large canopy.
Tajuddin Rahman was a signatory and active participant but has distanced himself. His expose proves he failed to understand the ploy of his own initiative. The power to appoint PM lies with Agong.
And, it is speculated he may have invoke dismay and caused postphonement of his conferment as Ambassador.
Nevertheless, the Tajuddin stunt did not create quite the reaction of UMNO grassroot.
Memorandum of Agreement
However the revelation by Raja Petra last week did.
He disclosed the front and back of a written agreement or legally worded as Memorandum of Agreement between Ismail Sabri and Muhyiddin.
A reporter hinted and few other talked about it, but generally, no one knew of it. It surprised all levels of the UMNO echelon
The agreement was prepared by Takiyuddin Hasan but even Haji Hadi Awang and PAS leaders were not aware. It was witnessed by the other members of the Publika gang, namely sacked UMNO Secretary General, Annuar Musa and Hamzah Zainuddin.
The agreement is in contravention with the declaration made by Ismail to Agong and Dewan Rakyat that the support he received in order to be appointed PM in August last year came with no condition.
He could be the first PM to be reprimanded by the Parliamentary Select Committee. And his relation with Agong may not be the same from hereon.
The agreement issue started when PPBM insisted on Zuraidah Kamaruddin, who left PPBM for PB, be removed and her to be replaced with other PPBM leader. Ismail was reluctant to make a decision as it means he could lose his majority in Parliament should Zuraidah withdraw support.
Subsequently, Muhyiddin pushed the issue to demand PPBM to be appointed DPM as per an agreement. Wan Saiful then revealed Annuar Musa knows of the agreement and a supporter of Annuar posted on his FB as why not as long it is not Azmin.
It eventually led to the alarming revelation by Raja Petra. Cybertroopers seen as defenders of Ismail and carrying Annuar's narrative blamed Lokman Nor Adam as collaborator. It is all to see that RPK's narrative lately have been favouring Ismail Sabri since his expose of Mohamad Hasan over an investigation nearing two decade ago and long cleared.
Zahid issued a face saving conciliatory statement to claim he knows of the agreement and understand the situation. It was immediately exploited by FBer Azizi to spin to the effect he was a party to it. It is possible that Zahid know but believed Ismail only revealed after the event.
Undermined the party
Though FBer aligned to Muhyiddin argued that the agreement is between Ismail as PM and Muhyiddin as PPBM President, it was a term to dictate the limitation of Ismail's power as PM and he carries the optic of a BN PM. His action undermines the party.
More so, UMNO has repeatedly and consistently call for returning mandate to the people to stabilise and provide direction for Government administration, whether GE15 favours BN or PH. His constantly delay cool the momentum for BN after the landslide in Melaka and Johor coupled with GPS whitewash of PH in Sarawak.
Rumours heard that certain Camp Putrajaya members approached Zahid to seek assurance for the candidacy of few hardcores strongly rumoured to be dropped for GE15. No decision was heard to come from Zahid but he reprimanded the messenger for damaging UMNO and allowing enemy to split the party. Will it mean Zahid will be more firm in his actions from now on?
Whether the incident is related to the delay, it could not be ascertained but sources within PWTC claimed there was a recent private meeting between Zahid and Ismail.
Ismail was enquired of the ROS approval. He said ROS has not answered but was immediately brushed off by Zahid. The former Home Minister responded to informed Ismail ROS has approved and prepared the letter. It is awaiting for his clearance. To hide his embarassment, Ismail covered his line to ask Zahid what he should do.
For a PM who barged into Abu Dhabi despite the host reluctance to accept the visit and two diplomats was blamed and dismissed for poor reception by the host, it is certainly a strange question.
As usual, one can expect a tumoultous political week ahead with the information from sources, rumours and FB opinions will be confirmed. Muhyiddin seemed resigned to leave it to PM to decide on DPM before he reveals another UMNO splitting conniving move.
