Umno’s major upheaval probably began around the time Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad became the party president in 1981. Dr Mahathir fervently believed that the more he was able to exercise unchallenged power, the better it would be for the country. This type of attitude gave Dr Mahathir chronic problems when it came to deputies. Najib probably believed that three-corner fights with PAS and Pakatan Harapan would work to Umno’s advantage, but they resulted in Umno’s first ever electoral defeat in 2018. Both lost, and Najib loyalist Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi became president.

Source: The Star March 20, 2021 06:56 UTC