Umno division calls on members to snub Tengku Zafrul events

An Umno division in Selangor has called on members to reject programmes involving Tengku Zafrul Aziz in the wake of talk the finance minister was eyeing the Kuala Selangor parliamentary seat in the next general election.

(FMT) – Kuala Selangor Umno division chief Jahaya Ibrahim issued the directive to members through WhatsApp following complaints lodged by branch leaders.

Jahaya claimed a movement led by outsiders was shoring up support for Tengku Zafrul among members in the constituency, which could lead to disunity.

He said the movement was pushing for Tengku Zafrul to stand as an Umno candidate.

“But is he an Umno man that he wants to contest under an Umno ticket? We’re not sure if he is a party man.

“He was appointed by Muhyiddin Yassin as finance minister, not by Umno,” he told FMT, referring to the former prime minister and Bersatu president.

Umno had last year retracted support for Muhyiddin as the prime minister, forcing him to step down from the post. Umno has also since said it would not work with Bersatu.

Jahaya also expressed concern that Tengku Zafrul could defect to Bersatu should he win on an Umno ticket.

Tengku Zafrul has uploaded several pictures of programmes he attended in Kuala Selangor, including watching the FA Cup final in Puncak Alam.

He was also spotted alongside entrepreneurial development and cooperatives minister Noh Omar at a dinner with Chinese and Indian NGOs in Kuala Selangor.

In January, he was reported as saying that he did not have time to think whether he wanted to contest in the next elections, following speculation linking him to the Lembah Pantai and Kuala Pilah parliamentary seats.