UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi describes Tengku Zafrul's switch to PKR as unethical in light of the existing Unity Government arrangement while confirming his resignation from the party, . The official resignation letter, according to Zahid, was only received this morning by UMNO’s executive secretary after reports had already emerged regarding Zafrul's departure.
During a press conference, Zahid stated that the resignation had been anticipated. However, he emphasized that Zafrul’s decision would require a reassessment of UMNO’s Cabinet representation. With Zafrul no longer in the party, Zahid believes UMNO should be granted a replacement ministerial position to maintain its quota of seven ministers in the current federal administration.
Zahid provided a timeline of Zafrul’s ministerial appointments, recalling that he had initially joined the Cabinet under the Perikatan Nasional administration without being publicly affiliated with UMNO. The subsequent appointment under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was perceived to be under UMNO’s quota, and this perception continued into the current Madani Unity Government. Zafrul had also reportedly claimed UMNO membership dating back to 1997, registered in Lembah Pantai.
Zahid responded to suggestions from party figures, including UMNO supreme council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi, who called for a RM100 million penalty against Zafrul for party-hopping. Zahid noted that UMNO parliamentary candidates had signed a pre-election undertaking, and while Zafrul did not win a seat in the last general election, he was later appointed as a senator. Legal advisers, Zahid said, would be consulted to determine if Zafrul’s situation falls under the scope of that agreement.
The UMNO president disclosed that Zafrul had privately raised the possibility of leaving the party during a conversation in Parliament three months ago, suggesting that the move had been under consideration for some time.
While Zahid expressed no personal objection to Zafrul’s departure, he stressed that such transitions between component parties within the coalition were unethical and risked undermining the spirit of cooperation in the Unity Government. He echoed sentiments from UMNO secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, who had warned that crossovers could breed mistrust, strain inter-party relations, and disrupt coalition unity.
Information Source: The Vibes
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