PETALING JAYA: Umno has no more need for the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Pakatan Harapan and would like the 15th General Election to take place as soon as possible, opines a political analyst.

       James Chin, who is from the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania, Australia, was commenting on Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan's statement on Thursday (April 14) that the party would not renew the MOU with Pakatan, which ends on July 31.

       Chin added that the statement was a clear indication that the party is ensuring none of its election machinery momentum will be lost, which will happen if the general election does not take place soon.

       "They (Umno) does not need the Opposition any more – and with elections coming, they don't care much about the MOU.

       "If you ask me, it is the Opposition who has been 'used' by Umno for their own benefit.

       "To me Budget 2023 is irrelevant. They are not keen to pass the Bill seeking to set a two-term limit for the prime minister and the anti-party hopping bill, so by 'dumping' the Opposition now, they won't have to worry about these bills," he said on Friday (April 14).

       Meanwhile Dr Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said that as the general election is likely to take place before the next budget and Pakatan would likely remain as the Opposition.

       However, he said that Pakatan would be free to vote against the next budget.

       "The budget is likely to be passed if there is no more division within both Umno and the ruling coalition.

       "It appears that this new announcement is a compromise struck by Umno's mainstream faction with Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to name him as the prime minister candidate for GE15.

       "As such, Ismail Sabri should go along with the faction's desire to expedite the general election to take place sometime after July this year, " he said.