KUALA LUMPUR:Former UMNO and Barisan Nasional secretary-general, Tan Sri Annuar Musa said the biggest Malay party has split into three groups.

In an interview with Mingguan Malaysia newspaper today, the Ketereh Member of Parliament admitted that the group consisted of a group that rejected cooperation with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and a group right in the middle.

Besides them, he said, there is also a group within UMNO that accepts cooperation with the party led by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

However, Annuar said, he tried his best to avoid the split even though the perception showed himself more towards being Bersatu-friendly.

"Yes, the answer is yes. Indeed, UMNO is now split.

“(But) I do not allow it. That's why I fight. That is why I highlighted the idea for UMNO members to start thinking.

“The problem now is that many of these manipulations are made by the leaders above but the information does not reach the grassroots completely.

“Then we use the grassroots to support our ways and ideas whereas we do not fully explain to the UMNO grassroots,” he added.

Annuar, who is also the Federal Territories Minister, said that among the things that were not explained accurately were rumours about cooperation with DAP and the real content of the negotiations with Bersatu.

He said the misunderstanding and perception arose when some leaders refused to lock horns or disagree because the trend was brought by the president (Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) and senior people around the president.

“UMNO is a conservative party. That is why there will be people who have to burn themselves if necessary, including me, to come up with a slightly different idea.

“But over time I believe there will be changes based on more awareness and information. The people below are sincere people.

"Right now, many of us agree. I, Ismail Sabri (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob), KJ (Khairy Jamaluddin), Ku Nan (Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor), Noraini (Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad), Annuar Nasarah (Datuk Shamsul Anuar Nasarah), many senior leaders.

"But we do not speak up out of respect, but when it is like this now, neither upstream nor downstream, (we) try to withdraw," he added.

He said their reluctance to conspire arose because the Perikatan Nasional government, when threatened excessively, was able to respond with the various types of options available.

Annuar said the current leadership should not lead to the destruction of Umno, instead, for the sake of uniting the Malays, the party must become the champion of the unification of the Malays.

"I'm sure when we resume playing a role together with PAS and Bersatu in uniting the Malays with the strength of the Malays, then we integrate the various races, we will attain great success," Annuar added.