Friday 29 Mar 2024
By
main news image

(April 16): Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir said he had no intention of resigning from his post, despite coming under fire for not openly stating his support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, The Star reported.

He said the menteri besar position was an "amanah" or trust given to him by Najib and there was no valid reason for him to let it go.

"I feel there's no reason for me to let go of this position. There's no huge problem that needs me to do so," Mukhriz was quoted as saying at a programme in Jitra today.

He was responding to a rumour that he would be stepping down as menteri besar on April 24.

Mukhriz drew flak after he apparently said that he would back Najib only if investigations into 1Malaysia Development Berhad found no wrong. Otherwise, he would support the people.

Bukit Lada assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Lebai Sudin criticised Mukriz for making the statement and demanded that he step down as menteri besar as he owed his job to Najib.

Mukhriz previously said that the state Umno would make known its position on their support for Najib on April 24 when the Umno supreme council convenes.

He brushed off Lebai's calls for him to resign, saying that the state lawmaker was overzealous in his remark.

Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein also reminded Mukhriz to ensure that Umno Kedah remains intact, amid the ongoing crisis between veteran Umno leader and former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Najib.

He said that as menteri besar, Mukhriz had the responsibility to ensure that the party did not split.

Najib had been under attack by veteran Umno leaders such as Dr Mahathir and former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin.

Dr Mahathir, a former Umno president and also Mukhriz's father, urged Najib to resign, saying that Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) will lose the next general election if he did not do so.

This triggered a wave of support for Najib from Umno grassroots leaders and those in the BN. – The Malaysian Insider

      Print
      Text Size
      Share