Puad: Akmal's exco exit carries less weight than quitting Umno Youth

Umno supreme council member Puad Zarkashi has downplayed Dr Akmal Saleh’s decision to step down as a Malacca state executive councillor.

Puad said the move, which Akmal reasoned was to “fight DAP till the end”, does not “carry weight” compared to resigning from the Umno Youth chief post.

Taking to Facebook, he added that there was no need for Akmal to resign from the state executive council, pointing out that the Malacca government is led by BN.

“Fighting DAP does not require a ‘full-time’ commitment to the extent of having to resign as a Melaka exco. Malacca is a BN-led government,” he wrote.

He added that resigning from the post was also not comparable to stepping down from the same position in a Pakatan Harapan-led administration.

Puad maintained that Akmal need not resign from either post, stressing that political opposition could still be pursued from within the same government.

“The important thing is to continue to fight, even while being part of the same government. But Akmal might have his own rationale,” he added.

At odds with DAP

Akmal announced earlier today that he was stepping down as the Malacca state executive councillor for rural development, agriculture, and food security.

Speaking at the Umno Youth assembly, the Merlimau assemblyperson trained his guns at DAP, a party which is part of the Malacca and federal governments with Umno.

“I am brave enough to state that I am resigning to ‘lawan DAP habis-habisan’ (fight DAP till the end),” he said to applause and cheers from delegates.

The announcement was made in the presence of Malacca Chief Minister Ab Rauf Yusoh.

Akmal said his decision was based on dignity.

He has frequently been at loggerheads with DAP over various issues.

The most recent flare-up was over DAP’s Puchong MP, Yeo Bee Yin, who celebrated a court ruling rejecting Najib Abdul Razak’s bid to be placed under house arrest.

The incident prompted Akmal to call for Umno’s exit from the government, which in turn led DAP Youth to tell the Umno Youth chief to quit from the Malacca government instead.

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