Tanah Merah MP latest Umno exit

Umno's Tanah Merah MP Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz has today announced his resignation from the party.

Ikmal, who was the party's Tanah Merah division chief, stated that he had the best interests of his constituents at heart when making his decision.

He, however, stated that he had no immediate plans of joining any other party.

"I am not saying that I will be joining any party. I will think about that when the time is right," he said in a press conference aired on Facebook today.

In the video, in which the lawmaker appeared emotional, he said the decision to leave Umno was a hard one to make.

He added that he reached his decision upon consulting with former Umno supreme council member and Jeli MP Mustapa Mohamed, who left the party in September and had since joined Bersatu.

Five more MPs leaving

He added that five more lawmakers would follow suit in leaving Umno.

"Today I am made to understand that besides me, five more MPs will be announcing their departure," he claimed.

However, he did not provide any names of the five other MPs.

Ikmal's name was included in a list of several MPs rumoured to be leaving Umno which had been shared online.

Jempol MP Mohd Salim Mohd Sharif and Jelebu MP Jalaluddin Alias were among others mentioned in the list.

However, Mohd Salim denied he was leaving the party when contacted by Malaysiakini earlier today, while Jalaluddin's departure was denied by Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan.

Mohamad stated that he had yet to investigate the veracity of the planned departure of the other Umno lawmakers named on the list.

This now leaves Umno with just 38 seats in Parliament and 16 MPs have left the party since the 14th general election in May.

Additional reporting by Kow Gah Chie.