KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — An Umno division in Selangor has allegedly called on its members to boycott programmes involving finance minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, amid talks that he is eyeing the Kuala Selangor parliamentary seat in the next general election.

Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported that Kuala Selangor Umno division chief Datuk Jahaya Ibrahim issued a directive to members through WhatsApp following complaints lodged by branch leaders.

Jahaya claimed a movement led by outsiders was shoring up support for Tengku Zafrul among members of the constituency, which could lead to disunity.

He said the movement was pushing for Tengku Zafrul to stand as an Umno candidate.

"But is he an Umno man that he wants to contest under an Umno ticket? We’re not sure if he is a party man.

"He was appointed by Muhyiddin as finance minister, not by Umno,” he told FMT, referring to the former prime minister and Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

Umno had last year retracted support for Muhyiddin as prime minister, forcing him to step down from the post. Umno has also since said it would not work with Bersatu.

Jahaya also expressed concern that Tengku Zafrul could defect to Bersatu should he win on an Umno ticket.

Tengku Zafrul has uploaded several pictures of programmes he attended in Kuala Selangor, including watching the FA Cup final in Puncak Alam.

He was also spotted alongside Entrepreneurial Development and Cooperatives Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar at a dinner with Chinese and Indian NGOs in Kuala Selangor.

In January, he was reported as saying that he did not have time to think whether he wanted to contest in the next election, following speculation linking him to the Lembah Pantai and Kuala Pilah parliamentary seats.