IPOH, June 25 — Datuk Noor Azmi Ghazali could not have won the Bagan Serai parliamentary seat in GE14 without Barisan Nasional’s (BN) backing, Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir said today.

"I am disappointed with his actions (leaving Umno and Barisan). Whatever reasons he gave for leaving the party, he should not forget he contested on an Umno ticket,” the Perak BN chairman said.

"He can say he won based on his own popularity, but it is impossible for him to win if he had been an independent,” he added.

Speaking to reporters here today after a closed-door meeting with Perak Umno members chaired by acting party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that was held at the state Umno building, Zambry reminded Azmi that he won due to the trust people had in BN.

"But now, he is using all sorts of excuses to leave. Now we see the actions and responses from Amanah and PKR which did not welcome him... he should be aware of that fact. I leave it to the rakyat to judge his character,” he added.

On Sunday, the second term MP announced at a press conference that he would leave Umno and BN with immediate effect.

He also declared his support for Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) leadership and Perak Mentri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu.

Zambry said Azmi should resign from his post to prove his popularity.

"(But he would not do that) as if he does, he cannot contest anymore. For me, his decision (to leave) is disappointing. He should have come to meet and discuss with me (first). He only thought about himself,” added the former mentri besar.

Zambry also responded to Azmi’s claims of sabotage during the GE, saying that the latter would not have won if such a thing had occurred.

Asked if the party should have a mechanism to prevent its representatives from jumping ship, Zambry said some made their representatives swear on the Quran and even had them sign the bai’ ah (oath of allegiance) but they jumped too.

"Eventually, it is up to the representative themselves. They must remember when the people voted for them, it was for the party they represent; hence, they should stay on and fight based on the ticket they were elected on,” he said.

In the May 9 polls, Azmi won with 172-vote majority.