KUALA LUMPUR:Any decision by UMNO will have a negative impact on any good deeds done by the Perikatan Nasional government (PN).

According to Research Fellow of the Malaysian Institute of Political Research, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Dr Achmad Dzariean Mohd Nadzri, the people will also see UMNO wanting the 15th General Election (GE15) to be held quickly when the COVID-19 pandemic has not subsided and the economy has not recovered.

Dr Achmad Dzariean opined that the excuse for the COVID-19 vaccine to be received soon should not be used to speed up GE15.

"The community's view will inevitably be seen leaning in a negative direction towards the move that UMNO is doing.

"It can indeed have an impact on whatever good things or good services that the Perikatan Nasional government has done with UMNO before.

"People now see UMNO as if they want elections to be held quickly on the grounds that the vaccine has been received.

"But we need to remember that the receipt of vaccines by our government is not that the vaccine can be enjoyed by everyone, instead there are certain target groups being given priority.

"With the arrival of the vaccine later, it is not an excuse to allow elections to be held quickly," he told Astro AWANI.

He also opined that if the UMNO Supreme Council (MT) accepts the decisions made by the party's 143 divisions, the position of the PN government will be compromised.

Dr Achmad Dzarien opined that if UMNO chooses to move alone, it will also have a negative impact on Muafakat Nasional (MN).

"Whatever discussions and any agreement in Muafakat Nasional will definitely be affected if UMNO decides to go it alone in GE15.

"The negative effects of the UMNO's decision will not only be on the party itself but other parties in the government will also receive the same fate," he added.

Recently, 189 UMNO divisions held an adjourned annual general meeting due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of that number, 143 UMNO divisions have approved a motion not to cooperate with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) in GE15.