THE writing is on the wall for Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, the three-term Pasir Salak MP sacked from the Umno Supreme Council last month, his voters said.

Despite Tajuddin’s generous political patronage to the electorate there, they believe his recent “attacks” on Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will end his career in the party, and will not earn him a chance to win a fourth term if he decides to contest as an Independent or for any other party.

“Pasir Salak voters are predominantly Umno voters,” local resident 58-year-old Kamaruzzaman Kamaruddin told The Malaysian Insight, but noted Tajuddin commanded some personal support in the Kampung Gajah area.

“His fight with Zahid is just a little near the end of the term. If Zahid chooses another candidate for Pasir Salak, Tajuddin cannot contest here under the Barisan Nasional banner,” he said.

“It’s unlikely that he will win another term if he contests as an Independent,” said the businessman.

Umno sacked Tajuddin from the council on June 24 and days later, he held a tell-all press conference where he urged Zahid to resign, claiming that the president was a liability to Umno.

Zahid had removed the 74-year-old outspoken politician for criticising the party’s leadership.

But Tajuddin is no stranger in the area that saw the murder of the first British resident in Perak, J.W.W. Birch in November 1875.

He first won the Kampung Gajah state seat in the 2004 general election. Following that, Tajuddin contested the Pasir Salak parliamentary seat in 2008 and won 52.7% (16,928) of the votes cast.

Since then, he has retained the federal seat for another two terms – 57.14% in 2013 and 46.04% in 2018.

In the long history of his political career, Tajuddin was also appointed deputy agriculture and agro-based industry minister in 2013 to 2018, besides being the chairman of Kumpulan Prasarana Malaysia Bhd, a government subsidiary from 2020 to 2021.

More recently, he was named Malaysia’s ambassador to Indonesia but he has yet to receive his credentials to take up the post, seen as the most important in Malaysian diplomacy.

After the Umno Supreme Council sacking, Tajuddin announced he would contest as an Independent if Umno tried to replace him in Pasir Salak.

Kamaruzzaman said he regretted the actions of the two leaders, which had caused some tension in the party in readying for the 15th general election due by July next year.

“Between the party and Tajuddin, voters will pick the party. I am an Umno person and I am worried. I urge the president and Tajuddin to mend ties,” he said.

Despite Tajuddin’s history in Pasir Salak, Kamaruzzaman said he would vote for the party candidate if the former contested as an Independent.

For him, leaders will change but the party will remain. Among the candidates he mentioned who could replace Tajuddin was Pasir Salak Umno division deputy chief Khairul Azwan Harun.

“I will still choose Umno’s candidate even though I am Tajuddin’s follower. We are Umno people, and we want the party to win.

“(However) he should not join PAS, but if he does, it’s over. In Pasir Salak, PAS is not strong. When they contest here, they never win.”

In support of a new face

Azizi Ahmad Darmawi, 51, also shared the same view. He wants a fresher and more energetic new representative.

“Tajuddin is not a factor in Pasir Salak. He is liked (here) because of his money. Whatever he had said about Zahid could be the truth, but why only reveal them now? Why didn’t he talk about it before?” asked the entrepreneur.

He said eventually it would be the voters who would have to decide if they want to support Tajuddin or someone else.

“He has been in Parliament for more than 10 years now, and his performance is declining.”

Azizi said Tajuddin’s image had been tarnished due to his rift with the president.

“His performance has declined because he is against the president. In the past, there was more support for the party. Any BN candidate would win here.

“There are many who are willing to replace him here as BN is on the rise again,” he added.

Azizi also did not rule out Khairul Azwan Harun as a suitable replacement for Tajuddin.

“People who oppose the president will have a tough time here as most of the BN voters are party voters,” he added.

But Mohd Khairul Azuan, 36, said he would back the fiery lawmaker as Zahid had made a mistake of dropping him from the council.

“I will still choose him and side with him as he helped the villagers here a lot, including during Covid-19. We will keep Tajuddin here.

“I feel like there is no reason to fire Tajuddin (from the Supreme Council). He has helped the villagers, fishermen, farmers and the less fortunate. Why take such action?” he asked.

Khairul is also ready to be with Tajuddin even if the latter chooses the Islamic party platform.

“PAS is also okay for me, as it is an Islamic party. If Tajuddin is still on the right path we will follow him,” he added. – July 5, 2022.