Umno's latest flare-up with Bersatu is not the first time the former has considered severing ties with the latter and forcing a general election.

In previous incidents, the push by the "anti-Perikatan Nasional faction" would be halted by a divided supreme council, which would instead issue strongly-worded statements urging Bersatu to treat Umno better.

However, this latest attempt to end cooperation with Bersatu appears on track to succeed, with the party set to debate it at the Umno general assembly on Jan 31...