Nazri: I’m not quitting, but Umno members frustrated with party direction

Nazri believes many Umno members are ‘frustrated’ with the direction of the current leadership as well as the ongoing alliance with former rival PAS.

(MMO) – Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said today he will not quit Umno, after two senior party members resigned.

The Padang Rengas MP said, however, he believes many Umno members are “frustrated” with the direction of the current leadership as well as the ongoing alliance with former rival PAS.

“I do believe if we have a direction, where we are headed to, I don’t think they will be leaving. For me, I think that they are quite frustrated with the party direction working with PAS is not something they are happy with,” Nazri told Malay Mail, referring to Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed and Datuk Seri Anifah Aman.

“But I will stay in Umno, if I am not the Padang Rengas Umno division chief, not a six-term MP maybe I would be thinking a different way.

“But I have to think about all the voters who have supported me for 25 years, it is not fair for me to go (and quit),” he said.

Kepala Batas MP Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican told Malay Mail that there was some tension within Umno over the leadership’s alliance with PAS, but quickly added that the party is still “intact.”

“There is a clash, but it is not tantamount to something big, or hugely divisive there are differences of ways in which Umno should continue the cause and struggle,” the Umno leader said.

He also said that he will stay with the party and support the current leadership.

Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi expressed regret today over the resignations, saying their reasons given were inexcusable.

Anifah is the fifth MP to quit Umno, right on the heels of Mustapa, which leaves the once long-ruling Malay nationalist party with 49 federal lawmakers, the same number as rival PKR.

Others who have left after the May 9 general election that ousted Barisan Nasional from power are: Masjid Tanah MP Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal, and Bagan Serai MP Datuk Noor Azmi Ghazali.

The latest top-level departures have exposed the cracks in Umno as its leaders engage in public spats on the party’s future direction.