Malaysia’s ruling coalition shaken by fresh bout between UMNO and DAP

MALAYSIA: The United Malays Organisation (UMNO) and Democratic Action Party (DAP) are entangled in yet another exchange of words between top leaders after UMNO responded to criticism from former finance minister Lim Guan Eng, who said UMNO and Barisan Nasional are unreliable partners.

His remarks on the attempt by UMNO in Negeri Sembilan to topple the Pakatan Harapan-led state government did not go down well with UMNO members.

UMNO Vice President, Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, reminded the DAP Advisor not to become an instigator who could spark bigger problems in the relationship between parties in the Unity Government.

“I want to remind Lim Guan Eng not to be an instigator who could spark bigger problems.

“If he has negative views towards UMNO and BN (Barisan Nasional), he also needs to understand that many in UMNO and BN have the same views towards him,” he said in a media statement.

However, Wan Rosdy also added that as senior leaders, the responsibility is to unite and strengthen the Unity Government, “not to issue statements that could damage relations between parties in the government. The people want stability and solutions, not prolonged political disputes.”

Lim Guan Eng not only describe UMNO and BN as unreliable partners in the unity government, but he also urged the people to reject them in the upcoming election.

“Clearly, BN and UMNO have shown themselves as unreliable partners in the unity government. Their coup attempt in the Negeri Sembilan assembly by withdrawing support from the legitimate menteri besar and cooperating with PN assemblymen to destabilise the state government is a clear example,” he said in a statement.

Another example, Lim said, was the repeated claim that BN and UMNO would contest solo in the next general election against Pakatan Harapan (PH), despite holding key cabinet posts in the unity government. UMNO President Zahid Hamidi had said the party is willing to go in the next general election on its own, which sparked criticism and concerns among Pakatan members.

“This repeated backstabbing of PH by BN and UMNO clearly shows they must continue to be rejected by the people,” he said.

Last year, the two parties were at each other’s throats over former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s failed bid for house arrest.

DAP’s Yeo Bee Yin remarked that Najib Abdul Razak’s home arrest bid hitting a legal brick wall was a cause for celebration. The former minister faced intense backlash from UMNO and BN leaders in late December 2025 for her social media post.

UMNO deemed her “another reason to celebrate” comment “rude” and “inhumane,” with some divisions, including Puchong UMNO, halting cooperation with her.