Defying the Tide to Reject DAP, Mohd Isam’s Concerns Prove Justified

Once labelled a traitor for opposing cooperation with DAP, DATUK MOHD ISAM MOHD ISA now believes his earlier concerns have been vindicated, as the political partnership between Barisan Nasional (BN) and DAP appears increasingly difficult to sustain.

In an interview with Utusan Malaysia journalists AQILAH MIOR KAMARULBAID and ASLINDA NASIR, the Tampin Member of Parliament stressed that political cooperation should not be built solely on the pursuit of power but must be grounded in shared principles and respect for the fundamental boundaries of each party’s political struggle.

Ahead of the 16th General Election (GE16), he said grassroots voices must not be sidelined, particularly as calls for unity among Malay political parties gain momentum.

Speaking during a recent interview at Parliament, he emphasised that amid an increasingly challenging political landscape, Malay unity must be strengthened as a foundation of political struggle rather than sacrificed for partnerships that contradict the parties’ own principles.

What do the grassroots really want ahead of GE16?

Frankly speaking, based on the results of the previous state elections, we can see that voters, particularly Malays, want unity among Malay political parties. The decision has been made, and it appears to be the best path forward for now.

However, it must be understood that this is not a formal coalition but merely an understanding between BN and Perikatan Nasional (PN). This appears to be BN’s current direction.

That is why UMNO President Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he was open to the idea but stressed the need for caution. He also emphasised that any cooperation must be based on sincerity.

Negeri Sembilan has demonstrated that such cooperation is possible if there is genuine sincerity and a determination to win. That is the approach that should be adopted in other states.

We see that BN-PH cooperation may make seat negotiations easier compared with BN-PN. What is your view?

I do not want to comment on the affairs of other states, but based on Negeri Sembilan and what I have observed in Tampin, the people, particularly Malays, genuinely want unity among Malay political parties.

Do you believe the BN-PN formula is the only approach that can truly strengthen BN ahead of GE16?

For me, as of today, that is the prevailing political wave. There is no other wave at the moment.

Is BN not strong enough to contest the election on its own?

It is not that we feel we are too weak to contest independently. Simply put, if there is an easier way to achieve something, why choose the more difficult route?

We cannot focus solely on BN now because the coalition has experienced defeat before. Whether we like it or not, we must acknowledge that in 2018, we lost the election and, for the first time, lost control of both state governments and the federal government.

We must therefore recognise that the party needs to be rebuilt. For now, we need coalition partners to help restore voters’ confidence in UMNO and other Malay political parties.

Is it true that voters are beginning to accept BN again?

We lost because of various perceptions and promises. People claimed that BN had failed. However, after the change of government, the public began to realise that not everything previously said was true.

It is simple. If people were comfortable under the new administration, these issues would not arise.

Voter confidence in the current government has declined because of various allegations and promises made previously, which, in my view, were driven by popularity rather than realistic considerations in order to win elections.

I have always said that it is not easy to give people everything they want. We must act according to our capabilities.

When people lose confidence, they change the government. Eventually, some may feel that life is more difficult now than it was before.

Would BN risk damaging itself if it continued cooperating with PH?

In my view, no. We still have opportunities if we remain with PH. However, under the current circumstances, the BN-PN understanding appears to be more acceptable to voters than BN-PH cooperation.

If we recall the 2023 state elections, we almost faced rejection even though BN still had considerable strength in Negeri Sembilan.

At that time, we contested 17 seats and won 14. We were among the individual parties that secured the highest number of victories, but signs of rejection were already evident. The winning majorities were also relatively narrow.

Looking at the 15th state election, we could see the shift more clearly.

Take Tampin, for example. In the Gemencheh state constituency, BN won with PH by a majority of 2,434 votes, while its victory alongside PN recorded a majority of 7,393 votes.

We must acknowledge that voters are more inclined to support political alliances that resonate with them. It appears that Malays are beginning to unite under the blue wave.

Could issues involving Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s house arrest, the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into Tabung Haji (TH), and the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) affect Malay support for BN and UMNO?

We cannot deny that support could begin to decline because of such issues. Therefore, it is our responsibility to correct the situation.

It appears that the current government is deliberately creating circumstances that could undermine Malay support for BN-PN.

In reality, these matters, including issues involving Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), are nothing new.

These longstanding issues are being linked to UMNO. However, society today is no longer the same as before because people have access to various sources of information that they can examine and evaluate independently.

You were among 10 UMNO MPs who went against the tide by rejecting cooperation with DAP. Now, the partnership appears unlikely to last. What is your response?

Sometimes people are quick to accuse us of being traitors, attach various labels to us and even portray us as bad people.

At that time, my position was very clear. I would never cooperate with DAP. That has always been a principle of my political struggle.

Today, I believe there was some truth in the position I expressed back then.

Sometimes, even when we believe something is right, we must still respect the party’s decision because I was selected to contest under the party’s banner, not in my personal capacity.

Perhaps at that time, I did not have the opportunity to express my position openly. That may have been my way of conveying my stand.

Nevertheless, I ultimately complied with and accepted the party’s decision.

Was there no discussion with the party president about the matter?

Perhaps my mistake at the time was making a hasty decision without discussing it with the president because I was too firmly committed to the party’s principles and core struggle.

Although we are part of the Unity Government, I recognise that there are areas where we can cooperate with DAP. However, when fundamental boundaries are crossed, the situation becomes difficult.

Nevertheless, UMNO’s participation in the Unity Government does not mean that we have merged with any political party. Rather, it was to respect the decree of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The president has also stressed that we will remain with the government until the end of its current term.

Therefore, accusations of betraying the party must be assessed based on the decisions that have been collectively agreed upon.

Similarly, in Johor and Negeri Sembilan, decisions on political cooperation at the state level must be respected according to their respective circumstances.

My relationship with the president is not problematic.

Perhaps my previous actions caused some dissatisfaction, but we must respect the institution of the party presidency.

I also appreciate his magnanimity in being willing to readmit those who had previously left the party for the greater good of the community.

What is the best solution to resolve the controversy surrounding the royal succession in Negeri Sembilan?

I believe this matter is rather difficult to resolve at present.

Perhaps the appropriate avenue is the courts, which can determine the outcome.

I do not wish to interfere in the matter and only hope it can be resolved amicably so that the Negeri Sembilan government under BN will not be affected.

Give the existing state executive councillors the opportunity to carry out their respective duties because they have done nothing wrong.

Do not turn this matter into a political game that could ultimately damage the state itself.

UTUSAN