The suggestion that Umno cabinet members should leave the Perikatan Nasional government comes from the grassroots members, said party veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.
Tengku Razaleigh, who has served continuously as Ulu Kelantan/Gua Musang MP since 1974, explained that as chairperson of Umno's advisory board, he was responsible for voicing the people's dissatisfaction.
"What is the point of sitting there? That is the view of the people below that I convey.
"There are people who do not have positions in their party with high positions in the PN govt, while our people who hold the position of vice-president in the party do not even have a position (in the cabinet)," he was quoted as saying by Berita Harian.
International Trade and Industry Minister Azmin Ali and Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz occupy senior positions in Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's cabinet without holding party positions, while Umno vice-president Khaled Nordin does not have any role in government.
On Aug 28, Tengku Razaleigh, better known as Ku Li, urged Umno leaders who are members of the PN administration to withdraw from the government, citing Bersatu's decision to open its doors to non-Malay members.
"Bersatu... is no longer qualified to be in a Malay-Muslim pact supported by Muafakat Nasional," the veteran politician said.
The idea for this move came about following the entry of PKR defector Azmin and his followers into Bersatu. Azmin's followers include a considerable number of non-bumiputera.
"(Resigning) should be done immediately because we do not want to waste time.
"We should focus on the youth who are having difficulty finding jobs because of the Covid-19 pandemic," Tengku Razaleigh had said.
BN secretary-general Annuar Musa had then brushed off the call saying it was possible that Tengku Razaleigh has forgotten that not all Umno and PAS members are Malays or Muslims.
"Maybe Ku Li has forgotten that Umno and PAS have non-Malay, non-Muslim members. Muafakat Nasional's policy and accord are clear, we celebrate Malaysia's racial diversity," he wrote in all caps on Twitter.
Annuar added that overt racial sentiments were no longer suitable for Malaysian politics.
Meanwhile, Tengku Razaleigh said he would continue to provide views and advice to party members as long as he held the post.
He said he would stop giving advice if it was no longer needed and stressed that his advice was for the common good to attract the support of subordinates.
"I have to answer because I was appointed as an advisor. Unless you do not want me to be an advisor again, I can stop advising." - Mkini
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