KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 — Umno supreme council member Datuk Rosni Sohar tendered her resignation from the board of the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) effective yesterday.
Rosni cited the resignation of fellow party mate Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad and Umno’s stand on August 3 to withdraw its support for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as her reasons to quit.
“I want to firstly record my appreciation and heartfelt gratitude to former higher education minister Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad for giving me the opportunity to serve as a management board member of PTPTN.
“However, in line with Datuk Seri Noraini’s decision to resign as the higher education minister and based on what was decided by the Umno Supreme Council on August 3, 2021, I as a member of the Umno supreme council also faithfully follow the party’s decision.
“Therefore, I hereby resign as the management board member of PTPTN, effective August 7, 2021,” Rosni said in a statement on her Facebook page today.
She also said Umno has always upheld the decrees of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, as stated in its party constitution.
She thanked PTPTN staff for their cooperation throughout her tenure.
Noraini, who is Wanita Umno chief, resigned as higher education minister two days ago on August 6.
She was the second Umno leader to leave Muhyiddin’s Cabinet after Datuk Seri Shamsul Anuar Nasarah resigned as the energy and natural resources minister on August 3.
Other Umno supreme council members who have resigned from high-profile public office in the past are vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin who left as the non-independent, non-executive chairman of Boustead Holdings Berhad on August 5 and Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan as a board member of Universiti Malaysia Sabah yesterday.
Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced the party’s withdrawal of support for the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government on August 3, accusing Muhyiddin of defying and belittling the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s decree to table the Emergence Ordinances for debate in Parliament.
Zahid said enough of his party’s MPs have signed a declaration withdrawing support for PN to deny it the simple majority needed to remain the government of the day.
He also urged Umno leaders in the Cabinet to resign their posts.
However, Muhyiddin countered and insists he still holds the majority support of MPs, and said he will table a confidence motion in the Dewan Rakyat next month.
Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob who is also the deputy prime minister is leading a faction of his party MP in backing Muhyiddin.
