This concise book examines the decline and erosion of UMNO as a dominant political party of
Malaysia through the perspective of Ibn Khaldun's theory of asabiyyah and umran. It uses the
qualitative method of data collection from Ibn Khaldun's original works. After discussing Ibn
Khaldun's theory of asabiyyah and umran UMNOs umranic contributions and erosion of Malay
asabiyyah are discussed in detail. The research outlines how asabiyyah led to UMNOs rise to
prominence gain of political power bringing of progress and development of Malaysia to an
umranic stage before it started to decline and erode in concordance with the five stages of Ibn
Khaldun's theory of rise and fall of civilizations. This book highlights that early leaders of
UMNO played significant role in fostering group feeling and solidarity of the Malays
(asabiyyah). Asabiyyah was the engine that propelled UMNO to transform the Malays and Malaysia
to an umranic society. In conclusion the later leaders of UMNO contributedto weakening of the
Malay asabiyyah and the fall of UMNO from power in the 14th General Elections in 2018. The
process of UMNOs decline and erosion of political power is primarily caused by the leaders'
failures and shortcomings. The author a Malaysian lawyer and long-standing Minister in the
Prime Minister's Department Minister of Justice Minister of Defence Minister of Foreign
Affairs and Minister of Home Affairs in the Barisan Nasional in Malaysia concludes with the
recommendation that for UMNO to be relevant again in the current political landscape it must
initiate new and serious approaches and initiatives to change itself and must focus on good
governance and rule of law in a multi-ethnic Malaysian society. Relevant to scholars and
practitioners in political science sociology and Islamic studies this book is a landmark
commentary on contemporary Malaysian politics drawing from the author's own experience as a
member of parliament in his various ministerial positions over three decades.
