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UMNO needs to stop acting as a single party within the Barisan Nasional coalition in the unity government, said MIC National Strategic Director Datuk R. Thinalan.
He said the MIC grassroots were disappointed with the statement by BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that Umno still needed to have seven cabinet ministers following the move by Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
"Why does Umno need to have seven ministers in the cabinet?
" Why not from MCA or MIC? Is Umno the sole representative of BN in the government?
"If everything is just about Umno, then what is the purpose and meaning of BN in the government today?"
"I want to be clear here, Umno is not the sole component in BN. The ministry held by Zafrul does not belong to Umno but to BN. Any cabinet appointments also need to be discussed with other BN components," he said.
He said this while commenting on Zahid Hamidi's statement yesterday on Tengku Zafrul's decision to leave Umno.
Previously, Zahid Hamidi, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, said he hoped the quota of seven full ministers from BN could be returned to Umno.
He said that the party was previously represented by seven ministers and now only has six after Tengku Zafrul left Umno.
"For me, what is more important is that Umno is represented by seven ministers in the cabinet, even though we are not sure whether Tengku Zafrul's appointment (as a minister) was done in the capacity of Umno or otherwise, but our assumption is that he is from Umno."
"If that's the case, now Umno only has six full ministers left, with Tengku Zafrul being outside Umno, it is only right for Umno to request one seat to be given to us," he said.
Thinalan said Umno has no right to ask the prime minister to retain seven Umno ministers in the cabinet.
"He confirmed that it is uncertain whether Tengku Zafrul's appointment (as a minister) was done in the capacity of Umno or otherwise.
"This means that there is a possibility that Umno did not submit Zafrul's name to the prime minister. He (Zafrul) was appointed at the prime minister's own prerogative.
“Therefore, any replacement (of a ministry) needs to be referred to BN first. Not just become the property of Umno.
"Why can't we give it to the MCA … the second largest party in BN.
“What is the purpose of BN if everything is only for Umno?,” he questioned.
Yesterday, Tengku Zafrul announced his resignation as a member of the Umno Supreme Council, the head of Umno Kota Raja, and as a member of Umno.
Tengku Zafrul said he expressed his intention to join PKR to the party president, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and its secretary-general, Fuziah Salleh.
For the record, in the 15th General Election, BN won 30 parliamentary seats, 26 from Umno, two from MCA, and one each from MIC and PBRS.
In the government, Umno has seven full ministers and six deputy ministers. Meanwhile, PBRS has one deputy minister.
There are no MCA and MIC representatives in the cabinet. – June 1, 2025