A DAY after being dropped as a candidate for the coming general election, incumbent Ketereh lawmaker and Umno veteran Annuar Musa today revealed his new party, called Muafakat Nasional. 

He disclosed on social media that he had registered the party with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) on September 19, 2019 with himself as the president. 

All other office bearers are his close aides. 

Annuar press secretary Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz, however, was reported in FMT as saying that the caretaker communications and multimedia minister had only formed an NGO and not a political party.

Yesterday evening Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that Marzuani Ardila Ariffin will be replacing Annuar as the candidate for the Ketereh seat. 

Annuar, a two-term Ketereh lawmaker, was among five ministers and deputy ministers from Umno who were dropped as candidates. 

They are all known supporters of caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, and by extension had been critical of Zahid in various issues, including on the pressure imposed on the PM to call for GE15 this year. 

After he was dropped, there were speculations that Annuar would be joining another Malay party so that he could contest to retain Ketereh. 

However, Annuar said he now has a platform to continue serving, referring to his own party. 

“Insyaallah there is still a platform to continue serving on the path of goodness and welfare, especially towards the unity and unification of the ummah. 

“Islam and Muslims must remain strong and in power. We are stronger if we are united. 

“Even though discarded, one must remain a distinguished fighter,” he said in the Facebook posting. 

He also revealed the list of office bearers in the new party. 

The secretary of the party is Shahrul Nizam Yunos while Wizanie Zerith Shah Putra Shahrul Nizam is treasurer. 

The other committee members include Annuar’s political secretary Budiman Mohd Zohdi, his private secretary Mohamed Azam Ismail, and his press secretary Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz. 

Muafakat Nasional is also the name of the pact entered into by Umno and PAS in 2019 to fight the Pakatan Harapan government. 

However, that pact ended when PAS decided to remain with Bersatu in Perikatan Nasional.  

The Malaysian Insight is trying to contact Annuar for more details. – November 2, 2022.