Move on, focus on replacing Tengku Zafrul in govt, Umno told

Nazri Aziz plays down the impact of the Cabinet member’s departure from Umno.

Former minister Nazri Aziz says investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz’s exit from Umno should not be seen as a crisis.

PETALING JAYA:

 Former Umno minister Nazri Aziz has urged the party to stop fretting over Tengku Zafrul Aziz’s departure and instead focus on naming a replacement for him in the Cabinet.

Nazri said Tengku Zafrul, who has announced his exit from Umno and also intention to join PKR, had done nothing wrong and was simply exercising his freedom of association.

“Why do you (Umno) want to stop people who don’t want to be with us? Just let it be and move on,” he told FMT.

“And I don’t think it’s even impactful. So, I would advise Umno members not to worry about this and just focus on getting someone to take over the Cabinet position following Tengku Zafrul’s departure from the party.”

Nazri said Tengku Zafrul’s departure was also expected, especially since he had stepped down as Selangor Umno treasurer in April last year.

“Actually, it’s good for Umno now because he’s going to finish his senatorship anyway, and then I’m sure the (Cabinet) vacancy will be given back to Umno,” he added.

Tengku Zafrul is currently the investment, trade and industry minister in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Cabinet.

Despite being an Umno member since 1997, the former CIMB Group CEO was widely seen as a technocrat when named as finance minister in Muhyiddin Yassin’s Cabinet in March 2020, a role he retained in the subsequent Ismail Sabri Yaakob administration.

Tengku Zafrul has been a senator since 2020, when he was first appointed, in order to take on his Cabinet positions. The senatorship has a maximum tenure of two terms, each lasting three years.

Since the announcement of his exit, Umno Youth, Puteri Umno and Wanita Umno have urged Tengku Zafrul to relinquish his Cabinet position.

Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zakarshi, on the other hand, questioned whether Tengku Zafrul can be held liable for RM100 million in damages for allegedly breaching his pledge as a Barisan Nasional candidate during the last general election (GE15).

Separately, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan urged Umno members and supporters not to be disturbed by the departure of any individual.

“This party was not built in a day or two, nor does it stand on the shoulders of a single person. Umno is a responsibility far greater than that,” he said in a Facebook post expressing respect for Tengku Zafrul’s decision and gratitude for his contributions.

“We have far more important work, to unite, to improve, and to restore the people’s trust in us.” - FMT