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UMNO must consider legal and financial recourse against Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz following his resignation from all party posts and his stated intention to join Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), said UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Puad Zarkashi.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Puad, who is also the Johor State Assembly Speaker and Assemblyman for Rengit, said UMNO should review the pledge signed by Tengku Zafrul when he stood as a Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate during the 15th General Election (GE15), particularly the possibility of enforcing a compensation clause.
“I will urge UMNO to revisit the pledge made when Zafrul was a BN candidate in GE15. Can Zafrul be compelled to pay RM100 million in damages for party-hopping?” he asked.
He added that Tengku Zafrul’s planned move to PKR will be raised at the next UMNO Supreme Council meeting and urged the party to adopt a firmer stance on the issue.
“I will definitely raise the matter of Tengku Zafrul wanting to join PKR at the upcoming Supreme Council meeting,” he said.
Puad also criticised any potential acceptance of Zafrul by PKR without prior consultation, warning that such a move could destabilise grassroots support for the Prime Minister and the Unity Government.
“UMNO must not simply express regret if PKR accepts Zafrul. The President of PKR must be openly reprimanded,” he insisted.
“There must have been some behind-the-scenes discussions that prompted Zafrul’s decision. One hand alone does not make a clap,” he added.
He warned that PKR’s acceptance of a former UMNO leader without consultation could trigger a trust crisis among UMNO grassroots towards Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Unity Government.
“PKR must be warned. If this is allowed to continue, more betrayals will happen. Don’t blame UMNO if its members lose trust in PMX. The Unity Government will be in jeopardy,” he cautioned.
In a statement issued on Friday night, Tengku Zafrul announced his resignation as UMNO Kota Raja Division Chief and as a member of UMNO, ending a membership that dated back to 1997.
In December last year, Zafrul had acknowledged early discussions with PKR, though he stated at the time that no final decision had been made. - May 31, 2025