KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 — With Barisan Nasional (BN) still on the brink of crisis in Terengganu, Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today cautioned his party men that their allegiance was being put to test.
Zahid’s comments comes after three state Umno lawmakers in Terengganu quit the party over the past two days, causing BN to briefly lose its marginal majority in the oil-rich state yesterday. One later recanted.
“Umno Terengganu has to be prepared in any political situation that is happening. The loyalty of Umno grassroots members are being tested.
“The interests of the party should be above all other interests. Don’t allow the destructive elements of enemies inside and outside the party to control our political considerations,” he said in a brief three-paragraph statement today.
In his statement, Zahid did not expressly refer to the trio’s resignations from Umno or the short-lived political crisis that placed BN in risk of losing Terengganu to political rivals Pakatan Rakyat (PR).
Datuk Seri Ahmad Said, 57, quit Umno on Monday just hours after he was forced to step down as Terengganu mentri besar mid-term and replaced with Datuk Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman.
On Monday night, Ajil assemblyman Ghazali Taib similarly quit from Umno while Bukit Besi assemblyman Roslee Daud reportedly handed in his letter yesterday morning, leaving BN with just 14 seats in the 32-seat assembly.
But in a twist last night, Roslee “verbally” retracted his resignation from Umno, while rumours have been swirling that the other two assemblymen - Ahmad and Ghazali - are having second thoughts about leaving Umno.
With Roslee back in BN, the ruling coalition is tied with the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) opposition at 15 seats each in the state assembly.
Ahmad and Ghazali, who have refrained from announcing their allegiance to either bloc since their resignation yesterday, are considered independent representatives in the Terengganu state legislative assembly.
Although more Terengganu state lawmakers were rumoured to be weighing the idea of leaving Umno, no new resignations have been announced since yesterday morning.
This morning, Ahmad Razif said there was no need to dissolve the current Terengganu state assembly as the state has not formally received or accepted the resignation letters from the trio, saying that they are officially still Umno members.
The newly-minted Terengganu mentri besar also confirmed that he and other BN state lawmakers will meet with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin this afternoon in Putrajaya.
Najib and Muhyiddin are also the Umno president and deputy president respectively.
