Zafrul told to come clean on Umno membership

Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz has been asked to come clean on whether he had joined Umno prior to his appointment as the finance minister during Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration in March 2020.

This comes after Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan confirmed that Zafrul, who is widely known as an independent senator, is indeed a long-time member of Umno.

When contacted, PKR's Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah said Zafrul owed it to Malaysians to correct the perception that he is an independent politician without political background when he is in fact a party member.

"I think he should have, in the first place, corrected the whole concept of being an independent senator or whether he is still an Umno member.

"I think he owes it to the people as he is holding a very important post," Maria said.

While noting the political affiliation would not affect Zafrul in performing his ministerial job, she, however, questioned which party Zafrul stands for when Umno has differing views with Perikatan Nasional in the Dewan Negara.

Citing the anti-hopping law, Maria said Umno was firm on tabling the bill while there was a differing view within Bersatu.

"Zafrul has to come clean on this," Maria added.

‘Answer to the public’

Concurring, Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil said the minister must answer to the public on the matter.

"I think Zafrul should come clean on this matter, on whether he is still an Umno member or not, rather than prolonging this matter," Fahmi said in a text message.

"While this has nothing to do with his position in Parliament as he is a senator who cannot vote in the Dewan Rakyat, it does mean that he is seen by the general public in his true guise.”

Meanwhile, DAP's Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin said Zafrul’s predicament shows that an independent technocrat minister does not exist in the system.

"All of us will take a political stance. Behind his fancy banker background quietly lies his identity as an Umno member. Apart from this, he comes from an Umno family.

"Undoubtedly, someone who was born in an Umno family cannot get rid of the ideology of Umno's Malay nationalism, regardless of his liberal image," Chan said.

Yesterday, Ahmad confirmed that Zafrul had joined Umno before joining the cabinet.

"Yes. I confirm that Zafrul is an Umno member. This is nothing new. He has been an Umno member for a long time, even before he became the finance minister," Ahmad was quoted by Utusan Malaysia as saying yesterday.

Ahmad also said a family member of Zafrul is Lembah Pantai Umno's deputy chief.

Looking to contest

In March 2020, Zafrul, who was the then CIMB group chief executive was appointed as the finance minister by then prime minister Muhyiddin.

He was reappointed into Ismail Sabri Yaakob's administration amid concern that he could be dropped after Muhyiddin stepped down as political tension escalated last August.

Speculation has been rife that Zafrul was looking to contest parliamentary seats, including Lembah Pantai, to extend his political career in the 15th general election.

Meanwhile, Dewan Negara president Rais Yatim said Zafrul was not listed at the Dewan Negara as an Umno or Bersatu representative.

"He is listed as being an independent representative as nominated by the Bersatu president," Rais said in a text message to Malaysiakini.

"Under the Article 45(2) of the Federal Constitution, the king may appoint a person to be a senator from among those who, 'in his opinion', represents excellence in various fields of endeavour or profession or the aborigines.

"There is no mention of political party representation. The nomination is usually done by the prime minister," he said.

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