SHAH ALAM, Dec 30 — The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (PPBM) inaugural annual general assembly today saw a sea of people clad in red filling up the Ideal Convention Centre here.

Many of the attendees were former Umno members who would probably find the PPBM event slightly low-key compared to the usual week-long assembly Umno usually holds at the Putra World Trade Centre.

But PPBM’s two main stalwarts, president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had set the tone for the assembly clearly, and early — that this party is a new, improved, and more inclusive version of Umno.

Muhyiddin went on to say in his opening speech that the leaders in Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno have lost their directions and if they are allowed to be in power, it would spell disaster for the country.

“If BN retains power, there would be more damages done by its leaders and this will ruin our country’s future,” he said during a fiery speech earlier this morning.

The former deputy prime minister went on to warn the delegates to be prepared for the elections, alleging that the ruling coalition would employ dirty tactics to stay in power.

Dr Mahathir meanwhile said Umno — which he used to lead for over 22 years — was already no more.

Despite wanting to be different from Umno, PPBM still looked like a scorned splinter party wanting to get even at its former allies.

The Umno bashing rhetoric also took centre stage for most of the delegates who spoke today.

The media however was not able to access the debates and speeches after the opening as it was all done behind closed doors.

While PPBM is trying to position itself as a “more inclusive Umno”, the party has kept a two-tier membership system for Bumiputera and the rest, looking more like another Semangat 46.

That splinter party was eventually dissolved after seven years, and its leaders including Tengku Razaleigh Tengku Hamzah returned to Umno’s fold.

Already, BN chairman and Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak had extended the olive branch during Umno;s annual general assembly this year, saying the party’s doors are always open for any former member or leader looking for a way back.

Would that Semangat 46’s fate be in store for PPBM? Only time will tell.