Tok Pa urged to vacate parliamentary and state seats
KOTA BARU: Kelantan Umno Youth has called on Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed to vacate the Jeli parliamentary and Air Lanas state seats, which he holds.
State Umno Youth chief Noor Hariri Mohamed Noor said Mustapa should do the right thing by vacating both seats, which he had won under the Barisan Nasional ticket.
“Now that he has quit Umno, he should also vacate the parliamentary and state seats,” Noor Hariri said in response to Mustapa’s decision on Tuesday to leave Umno after 40 years as a member.
He claimed that Mustapa won the seats due to the support of Umno loyalists who had remained true to the party’s struggle.
As a senior and respected politician, Mustapa should not have quit at a time when Umno needed support from all its members and sup- porters, he added.
“Leaders of his calibre should remain in Umno to help restore public confidence in the party,” Noor Hariri said.
State Umno deputy chief Tan Sri Mohamad Fatmi Che Salleh said it was unfortunate that Umno had lost a leader of Mustapa’s calibre.
“This is a great test for us. Although we are disappointed, we have to accept it with an open heart,” he said yesterday.
He said the decision came as a surprise as Mustapa did not show any indication that he would quit Umno.
“Even during our discussions and chats, the resignation issue did not crop up,” Mohamad Fatmi said.
In a statement, Mustapa said he decided to leave as Umno’s current direction was no longer in line with his political principles.
However, Mohamad Fatmi said: “Umno can change its direction, but we should never change the party.
“No matter what excuse is given (to justify his decision to quit Umno), we should soldier on because Umno is still the best platform for us to continue pursuing our struggles in the interest of the nation,” he said.
A party leader, who declined to be named, took a jibe at Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for sidelining Mustapa under the pretext of “rejuvenating the party”.
The leader said Dr Ahmad Zahid should have not dropped Mustapa from his state liaison chief ’s post.
“Mustapa had served the state and nation well. Why drop him?” asked the leader.
Dr Ahmad Zahid appointed Machang MP Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub as the new Kelantan Umno liaison chief, replacing Mustapa after the recent party polls.
Umno Youth chief Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said leaders may come and go, but the party would remain true to its noble struggles.