KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 9 — Gual Ipoh state assemblyman Mohd Bakri Mustapha has resigned from his position as a board member of the South Kelantan Development Board (Kesedar) with immediate effect. 

According to Malay daily Berita Harian, Mohd Bakri said the decision was made following Umno’s move to withdraw support for the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government and Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Mohd Bakri said he has informed Kesedar chairman Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz about his resignation.  

"God willing, the resignation letter will be sent before this Thursday. In fact, the Kesedar chairman welcomes this resignation and understands the crisis I’m facing. 

"This decision was made of my own volition without being influenced by others.

"In fact, I describe the statement by Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to withdraw support for the PN government as the right move,” he told a press conference at the state Umno liaison office, in Kota Baru today.

Mohd Bakri’s resignation comes after several Umno leaders resigned from ministerial and government-linked agency positions.

Among them are former minister of Energy and Natural Resources Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah, former minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad and Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin who also resigned as Boustead Holding Berhad chairman. 

Commenting further, Mohd Bakri admitted that the decision to resign was a difficult decision as he held the post for a year.

"I am grateful to the Kesedar chairman who has always worked well with me all these time.

"What is certain is that the decision was made not due to a misunderstanding with the Kesedar leadership, but to respect the party’s (Umno) decision,” he said.