Arif Shah says he’s being ignored

(NST) – Seberang Jaya assemblyman Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah has accused the state Umno leadership of sidelining him and failing to recognise his services to the party.

Arif Shah said he was saddened by what was happening and felt his contribution to the people had gone unnoticed.

"Umno should respect the sacrifices and contributions of senior party leaders beside grooming new party leaders.

"The Pakatan Rakyat parties have offered me many positions but I wonder why my own party cannot do the same," he said when met after a community programme organised by his service centre at Taman Pauh Jaya here yesterday.

It was reported that the Pakatan Rakyat-led Penang government had recently offered Arif Shah to be part of the freedom of information committee but he turned down the offer.

Arif Shah said he had served Umno and the community throughout his political career but felt the contributions had been overlooked by the party.

"I grew up from the grassroots. I was an ordinary branch member and moved up to the branch youth committee and became a division youth chief before becoming an assemblyman," he said.

Late last year, Arif Shah claimed he had been offered the deputy chief minister's post in the Pakatan Rakyat state government but it was later denied by the Pakatan leaders.