Tengku Zafrul Resigns from UMNO, Seeks to Join PKR

KUALA LUMPUR – Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz has announced that he has submitted his resignation as a member of the UMNO Supreme Council (MKT), UMNO Kota Raja Division Chief, and as a member of UMNO.

The surprise announcement was made by Tengku Zafrul, who is also the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), in an official statement issued tonight.

According to him, the resignation letter has been sent to the UMNO leadership, and he had sought advice from various parties, including UMNO President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

“This was not an easy decision. Before making it, I sought advice and opinions from friends both within and outside the party, including from the President himself.

“I took a considerable amount of time to reflect deeply on this decision, especially since UMNO has been the only political party I’ve ever joined, since 1997.

“Ultimately, this decision was made after a process of self-reflection and consideration of various factors, particularly in terms of compatibility and alignment,” he said in the statement.

Following the announcement, Tengku Zafrul stated that he has expressed his intention to join the People’s Justice Party (PKR) to the party’s President and Secretary-General.

He added that he would undergo the usual application process to become a PKR member.

At the same time, Tengku Zafrul expressed his gratitude to his colleagues, supporters, and UMNO members who had supported and encouraged him throughout his active involvement in the party.

Tengku Zafrul, 51, began his political career as the Treasurer of UMNO Selangor, marking a pivotal point in his political journey.

However, he resigned from that post on April 1 last year.

Tengku Zafrul also contested in the 2022 General Election (GE15) for the Kuala Selangor parliamentary seat but lost by a margin of just one percent.

At the party level, he served as a member of UMNO’s Supreme Council (MKT).

He previously held the position of Minister of Finance from March 2020 to October 2022.

-Agency