FINANCE Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz has been told to come clean on whether he had joined UMNO prior to his appointment as finance minister during Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration in March 2020.
This came after UMNO secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan confirmed on Wednesday (May 25) that Zafrul was an UMNO member before he became a Cabinet member.
The confirmation came amid speculations that Finance Minister – who is an independent senator – was eyeing to run in the upcoming general election (GE15).
When contacted by Malaysiakini, Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah noted that Zafrul owed it to Malaysians to correct the perception that he is an independent politician without political background when he is in fact a party member.
“I think he should have, in the first place, corrected the whole concept of being an independent senator or whether he is still an UMNO member,” Maria told the news portal.
“I think he owes it to the people as he is holding a very important post.”
While Maria pointed out that the political affiliation would not affect Tengku Zafrul in performing his ministerial job, she raised the question as to which party Tengku Zafrul stands for when UMNO has different views with Perikatan Nasional (PN) in Dewan Negara.
Citing the anti-hopping law, Maria said that UMNO was firm on tabling the bill while there were differing views within Bersatu.
“Zafrul has to come clean on this,” she remarked.
In March 2020, Tengku Zafrul who was the then-CIMB group CEO, was appointed as finance minister by then-prime minister, Muhyiddin.
Amid concerns that he might be dropped from Cabinet after Muhyiddin’s resignation in August 2021, he was later reappointed into Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s administration.
There have been speculations that Tengku Zafrul was seeking to contest parliamentary seats – including Lembah Pantai – to extend his political career in GE15. – May 26, 2022
