BN has sent a legal letter to demand RM100 million from Rembia state assemblyperson Muhammad Jailani Khamis for defecting to PAS, said its chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

"Regarding the issue of Rembia representative's defection, a legal letter has been sent to him to demand he pays RM100 million to BN," Zahid told reporters after campaigning for the BN candidate in Nenggiri earlier today.

Zahid, who is also the Umno president, said they would take the necessary actions should Jailani (above) fail to fulfil the demand.

Former state executive councillor Jailani, who is serving a six-year suspension from Umno, said last month that he defected from the Malacca government after Chief Minister Ab Rauf Yusoh broke promises made in the 2021 state election manifesto.

Subsequently, Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the party would take Jailani to court as the representative had signed a contract which required him to relinquish his membership if he went against the party and to pay RM100 million as compensation.

BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan revealed on July 16 that Jailani had been a member of the Islamist party since June 2023, which was about a month before the Malacca assembly passed its anti-party-hopping law.

Jailani first won the Rembia seat on a PKR ticket during the 14th general election in 2018. Two years later, he defected to BN along with three others from Pakatan Harapan to form a new state government.

He later successfully defended the seat for BN in the 2021 state election.