KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 — Not a single MP from Umno will switch allegiance to enable federal Opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) to form the government again, party secretary-general Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said.
He said it’s impossible for PN to gain support in such a way due to an agreement signed last year before the 15th general election that binds Umno lawmakers, Malay newspaper Berita Harian reported today.
"This Kemaman by-election is not about changing the government; three days ago, PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang said that Kemaman is important for them to start changing the government,” Asyraf Wajdi was quoted as saying, referring to the parliamentary by-election taking place in Terengganu, a state that is 100 per cent controlled by the PN component party.
"This is either a delusion or a dream because every time he speaks, one jumps,” he reportedly added, referring to what seems to be a growing trend among Opposition MPs to declare support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Asyraf Wajdi pointed out that the Anwar’s "unity government” now has the support of 153 out of 222 MPs in Parliament compared to PN which has 69.
"So, how do you want to form a government? There has to be 112 people. Now there are 69 people only, where else do you want to look? It is said that he was persuading our MPs.
"I, as Umno secretary-general, want to assure that none of our MPs will defect. None,” he was quoted as saying while in Geliga, Terengganu stumping for the Barisan Nasional candidate in the Kemaman by-election last night.
According to Asyraf Wajdi, Umno MPs who breach the party’s rules will be required to relinquish their membership in both the party and BN.
He added that those who defy Umno’s stance will also be required to vacate their parliamentary seats and pay RM100 million.
"What is the effect? The effect is the anti-party hopping Act.
"Secondly, they also signed an agreement, everyone has to pay a bond of RM100 million if they disobey the party's decision,” he was quoted as saying.
Hadi has made no secret of his party’s ambition to topple the Anwar administration and regain Putrajaya by actively seeking the support of Umno members who do agree with their party leaders’ current partnership with former foes Pakatan Harapan.
Hadi, who is Marang MP, has said that PAS’ nomination of Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar to contest for the Kemaman parliamentary seat is part of PN’s strategy towards taking back the federal government.
Kemaman will head to the polls on December 2 with a direct face-off between Ahmad Samsuri and BN’s candidate Tan Sri Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor who is a retired chief of defence.
The by-election was called after the Election Court nullified on September 26 another PAS candidate Che Alias Hamid’s GE15 victory in November last year.
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