Ex-Melaka CM abandons Umno meeting over quit call

MELAKA: Former Melaka chief minister and Umno Tangga Batu Division chief Datuk Seri Idris Haron left the divisional committee meeting he was chairing on Wednesday night after a committee member proposed that he resign as the division chief and Melaka Umno chairman for the party’s poor showing in the Tangga Batu parliamentary constituency in the last general election.

After Idris left with seven other committee members, the meeting voted on the proposal which was carried with 19 in favour, two opposing and two abstaining, said the division deputy chief Datuk Dr Abu Bakar Mohamad Diah.

The meeting had been called to discuss the divisional general meeting and elections at the end of the month, he said at a press conference in Klebang on Wednesday night.

In the general election, Dr Rusnah Aluai of PKR won the Tangga Batu parliamentary seat with a majority of 4,659 votes, beating Umno Melaka Youth chief Zali Mat Yasin and Zulkifli Ismail of PAS.

Idris retained his Sungai Udang state seat with a majority of 2,229 votes while Abu Bakar, who was previously the Tangga Batu MP, lost in the contest for the Paya Rumput state seat.

In the general election, the Barisan Nasional won only 13 state seats in Melaka and lost to Pakatan Harapan which won 15 seats and formed the state government.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Idris said the resolution raised by the division was part of a conspiracy to topple him.

He said he would defend his position as the Umno Tangga Batu Division chief in the party elections on June 30.

He said he received verification from the Umno headquarters that he was still the Umno Tangga Batu Division chief as well as the Melaka Umno Liaison Committee chairman.