Umno wants to bankrupt me with RM100m demand - Rembia rep

Rembia assemblyperson Muhammad Jailani Khamis has accused Umno of trying to bankrupt him by demanding RM100 million from him for defecting to PAS.

“I joined PAS, I was threatened with a RM100 million lawsuit, they (Umno) want to bankrupt me.

“How do I feed my children... but this is a matter of principle and values,” he said during a ceramah in Nenggiri, Kelantan last night.

The representative from the Malacca legislative assembly said receiving a letter of demand (LOD) from Umno was the price he had to pay because he believed in the struggle.

On Aug 3, BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the coalition served Jailani with an LOD following his move to join PAS.

Zahid said the legal letter was a preliminary step for the party to claim RM100 million in compensation from Jailani.

“For the Rembia assemblyperson, an LOD has been issued to him to pay RM100 million to BN,” said the Umno chief when met at Gua Musang yesterday on the campaign trail for the Nenggiri state seat in Kelantan.

Jailani first won the Rembia seat on a PKR ticket during the 14th general election in 2018, and two years later defected to BN along with three others from Pakatan Harapan to form the new state government.

On July 16, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan announced that Jailani joined the party in June last year.

Takiyuddin also claimed the move did not affect Jailani’s position as a state assemblyperson because it was done before Malacca enforced its anti-party-hopping law.

Meanwhile, Jailani insisted that his action to leave Umno was due to the principles of his struggle and that there were alleged unfulfilled promises by Umno leaders.

“Who gave me a promise during the Melacca state election? Zahid, (Umno deputy president) Mohamad Hasan, (Umno secretary-general) Ahmad Maslan, and several other people from the top leadership.

“(That) Umno will not cooperate with Anwar (Ibrahim) and DAP,” he stressed.

In addition, Jailani said he chose to join PAS as Umno insisted on being friends with DAP - once the party’s arch-nemesis. - Mkini