AN UMNO Veteran said Minister of International Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz must resign as a cabinet member.
Tan Sri Mohd Yussof Latiff said Tengku Zafrul should also vacate all his other positions which he was accorded because of his standing in the party.
This is because Tengku Zafrul was appointed to such posts because he was considered a leader of Umno, said the party veteran.
“Now he wants to resign from Umno, he should behave as a gentleman and resign from party and appointed posts, he added.
"Tengku Zafrul must be aware that all positions that he holds in the political sense came because he was on the Umno ticket. Now, he is looking to exit."
His move can be condoned but on the same token, he needs to be principled and quit his cabinet positions, said Yusoff, who is also the Penang Malays Association
If he does not, Tengku Zafrul would be seen as an opportunist and not as a principled leader, he added.
"People enter politics to serve but to do it well, they must be accompanied by principles."
Last week before heading to perform his haj, Tengku Zafrul disclosed that he has formally written to resign from Umno and at the same time, conveyed his desire to join PKR - the party led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar has yet to address the matter although several leaders within Umno have being critical of Tengku Zafrul.
Yussof hopes the Tengku Zafrul's decision to leave Umno, has nothing to do with the fact that his term as a Senator ends this year.
"We need to be noble and principled in such trying times, where there is much uncertainty globally," said Yusoff. - June 3, 2025.
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