When Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi left the hall at the Melaka International Trade Centre on Saturday night, he was not sent off with a victory song. Barisan Nasional supporters chanted one word, over and over: "Bubar!" Dissolve.
Umno still sits in the unity coalition government, and its president is one of the two deputy prime ministers. But since September, BN has said it will leave the government the moment Parliament is dissolved.
Spontaneous or not, the chant fits Umno's position all year, which might be called minimum loyalty: do exactly what the coalition agreement requires and nothing more. That lets Umno push the government towards the edge without pulling it down itself.
Umno information chief Azalina Othman Said set out the limits the day before polling. On her reading, the agreement obliges Umno to back the prime minister only on confidence votes, supply bills and procedural motions touching the government's legitimacy. Beyond that, Umno is free to disagree.
