Awang Azman Pawi of Universiti Malaya told FMT he did not think the indictments would make much of a difference to Umno’s chances in the upcoming state elections.
He said Umno should focus on recovering from internal strife and not rely on its rival’s troubles.
“Bersatu’s court cases won’t benefit Umno much,” he said. “Umno must work to strengthen its leadership and ensure it is free from proxies, particularly those who are pro-Perikatan Nasional (PN).”
Earlier this month, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission froze Bersatu’s accounts in connection with an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds meant for Covid-19 stimulus packages.
Yesterday, Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan quit his post after being charged with accepting a RM6.9 million bribe and soliciting an unspecified amount over a RM232 million road project linked to the Jana Wibawa programme.
Also charged was Segambut Bersatu deputy chief Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad. He claimed trial to soliciting and accepting a bribe of RM500,000, also linked to Jana Wibawa.
Awang Azman said Wan Saiful, who is the Tasek Gelugor MP, resigned because he probably felt the party had to uphold its anti-corruption stance.
“Bersatu previously claimed that it was clean, but now the events that have unfolded have tarnished its image,” he said.
However, he added, as long as the corruption charges did not involve PAS members, PN could still maintain support in the state polls because of PAS’ election machinery.
James Chin of the University of Tasmania’s Asia Institute told FMT he could not say for sure whether the corruption cases against Bersatu would benefit Umno in the state elections.
He noted that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was also facing trial for corruption.
“If Umno campaigns on these charges against Bersatu, Bersatu could just as easily throw it back at Umno. So it is unclear if this will be to Umno’s advantage,” he said.
Chin also said he believed Wan Saiful’s decision to step down as information chief was to protect the party and focus on his corruption charges.
He said the resignation did not surprise him because it did not look good for the information chief, someone in the public eye, to be saddled with corruption charges.