KUALA LUMPUR,Mar 28: Energy and natural resources minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah says he will follow his party’s directive to resign from his position in the Cabinet if it decides to ask all Umno ministers to quit their posts.
When met by reporters on the sidelines of Umno’s general assembly here today, Shamsul said he would prioritise the party’s agenda, but maintained that no such decision had been made yet as debates were still going on.
“It’s a must for leaders to concede (to the party’s decision). As a leader, personally, I will comply with the party’s decision.
“As a leader, we can’t have our own personal agenda. The priority is the party’s agenda.
“Whatever it decides, that will be my stand. And this is important to show that Umno is a party that has principles.”
Shamsul was responding to calls by Umno advisory council chairman Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for the party’s members, who are ministers, deputy ministers or chairmen of government-linked companies, to resign their posts immediately.
Previously, Khairy Jamaluddin and Hishammuddin Hussein had also said they would resign from their ministerial posts if the party instructs them to do so.
Shamsul also said there was no need for labels such as the “ministers’ cluster” or “court cluster” for Umno leaders, saying this should be done away with to strengthen the party.
The “ministers’ cluster” refers to a faction of Umno leaders who are a part of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s Cabinet, while the “court cluster” refers to those facing charges in court, including party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, former prime minister Najib Razak and Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan.
When met by reporters, Ahmad clarified that there was no motion for ministers to be asked to resign from the Cabinet yet.
Asked to comment on Tengku Razaleigh’s call, he told media members to wait for the end of the general assembly this evening to see what happens.
“We have to wait and see if there are any changes to the motions. We’ll wait and see if there are any proposals involving ministers. But, as of this afternoon, there’s none.”
Before the annual general assembly, Umno had announced that it would continue to support the PPBM-led Perikatan Nasional government until Parliament is dissolved to make way for GE15.
Meanwhile, youth and sports minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican dismissed Tengku Razaleigh’s call as the Umno veteran’s personal opinion, saying any decision must be made by the party.
He maintained that he was a party man and would abide by the party’s decisions, adding that he rarely gave his personal views after Umno takes a stand on a matter.
