Zahid to Umno Cabinet members: Quit posts if you are loyal to party

Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. -The Star filepic

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno ministers and deputy ministers should resign from their posts to show loyalty to the party, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The Umno president told Utusan Malaysia that this would be in line with the party’s decision to withdraw support from the Perikatan Nasional government and Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

“It is up to them. If they are loyal to the party, please resign as announced by Shamsul (former energy and natural resources minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah),” he said on Wednesday (Aug 4).

On Tuesday (Aug 3), Shamsul Anuar, who is also the Lenggong MP, announced his resignation as a Cabinet minister, citing that he decided to quit in adherence to Umno’s decision.

His resignation came just hours before Umno announced that 11 of its MPs, not including Shamsul Anuar, had signed statutory declarations retracting their support for the government and prime minister.

There were about 10 Umno MPs who stood behind Ahmad Zahid during the press conference, among which include Pekan MP Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Machang MP Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub, Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Pengerang MP Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Tanjong Karang MP Tan Sri Noh Omar, Pontian MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, Baling MP Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim and among others.

Others were Cameron Highlands MP Ramli Mohd Nor, Jerantut MP Datuk Ahmad Nazlan Idris, Parit MP Datuk Mohd Nizar Zakaria.

Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan also concurred with Ahmad Zahid, saying that it is appropriate for Umno ministers and deputy ministers to resign from their posts.

On Tuesday, the Umno president announced that following its special supreme council meeting, the party decided that it will stand with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and not with the Perikatan government.

“The government led by Muhyiddin has clearly failed,” he said, adding that the decision was in line with Article 3.3 of the Umno constitution that spelt out its role in upholding the position of Islam.

At present, Umno has nine Cabinet ministers and five deputy ministers.