Prepare your ‘Milo tins’, Akmal tells Rembia rep after RM100m fine threat

Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh has advised Rembia assemblyperson Muhammad Jailani Khamis to gear up in raising funds to settle his RM100 million compensation for defecting.

“Umno secretary-general (Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki) has issued a statement on TikTok, asking (Jailani) to prepare RM100 million (to pay Umno as compensation).

“So my advice to him (Jailani) is to prepare his ‘Milo tins’ to collect (funds),” Akmal told reporters after officiating the Subang Umno delegates meeting at the Selangor Umno building in Shah Alam today.

In a video on social media, Asyraf cited and showed the original copy of the contract signed by Jailani, which stipulates that all party representatives must relinquish their membership if they go against the party’s decision, and pay RM100 million to the party as compensation.

Asyraf also challenged Jailani to a date in court over the latter’s defection to PAS.

This comes after PAS, on July 16, announced that Jailani - who is on a six-year suspension from Umno - had joined the Islamist party in June last year.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said Jailani’s joining the party would not affect his position as an assemblyperson because the Malacca state assembly had not enforced the anti-hopping law at the time.

In a separate development, Akmal expressed confidence that BN stands a good chance of snatching the Nenggiri state seat from Perikatan Nasional in the upcoming by-election.

This, he said, was based on the credibility of BN’s candidate Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani, who is a local professional and has worked the ground for a long time.

“When PN took the seat in the last state polls, we (BN) lost by a slim majority of 810 votes.

“Even if they (PN) lose in Nenggiri, PAS will still govern the state. The Kelantanese want someone who can provide check and balance as there are only two opposition members there (in the state assembly),” Akmal said.

He added that Umno Youth will mobilise its machinery to ensure Azmawi’s victory in the by-election.

Push for Akmal to be minister

Meanwhile, Subang Umno chief Arman Azha Abu Hanifah, who was also at the event today, said he will table a special motion to urge the appointment of Akmal as a cabinet minister.

He said this was because the party’s youth chiefs have not been given a mandate to helm ministerial or deputy ministerial posts for two terms in a row.

“The people want to see a new face, hear a new voice, a new upcoming leader, and I am confident that Akmal is a suitable candidate to bring Umno’s voice into the cabinet as a check and balance,” he said.

Arman, who is a former party supreme council member, also urged youth delegates in the country to bring up this motion in their upcoming meetings.

In response, Akmal said he disagreed with the motion and had to turn it down.

While expressing appreciation, the Merlimau assemblyperson said his objective is to restore Umno in the hearts of the people.

“Pertaining to being a minister, we will see when Umno has won (the election) and garnered a majority.

“As of today, I don’t have such thoughts (to be a minister),” he said.

Despite Akmal’s objection, Arman asserted that he would push on with tabling the motion to the highest level.

“We respect his (Akmal) stance. But it is not wrong for Akmal to be given the opportunity to be a cabinet minister, upon the prime minister’s approval.”

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