THE circulation of a list of Umno MPs said to be leaving the party has a few of them scrambling to deny the message spreading on WhatsApp.

One of those on the list, former tourism minister Nazri Abdul Aziz, denied that he would quit the party following the resignations of two other former ministers, Jeli MP Mustapa Mohamed yesterday and Kimanis MP Anifah Aman today.

The Padang Rengas lawmaker said he could not quit the party as he was indebted to Umno for having supported him for so long.

“I owe it to my party and Umno’s members in Padang Rengas. It is not fair for me to leave, I’m staying put,” Nazri told The Malaysian Insight when contacted.

Mustapa’s and Anifah’s names are also on the list of 17 Umno MPs.

Umno won 54 federal seats in the 14th general election but is now down to 49, following a total of five resignations.

Other names on the list of 17 include Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin, Arau MP Shahidan Kassim, and Lenggong MP Shamsul Anuar Nasarah.

Nazri said he felt Umno’s working relationship with Islamist party, PAS, was the reason both Mustapa and Anifah left.

His statement contradicts the sentiments of other Umno leaders, who said there were other reasons.

Two other Umno lawmakers on the list also denied any plans to leave the party.

Jelebu MP Jalaluddin Alias said quitting was not even on his mind, as he wanted to fulfil his mandate as an opposition lawmaker.

“I am still for the Umno and Barisan Nasional struggle and will uphold the mandate which was given to me by Jelebu’s voters in the 14th general election.

“I will not be a coward who leaves Umno, which has been serving the people for the last 72 years, just because BN lost in the elections,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Padang Besar lawmaker Zahidi Zainul Abidin said he did not want to be labelled a traitor by leaving the party.

“If we leave Umno, we will be declared traitors till we die. We cannot let Umno falter or disband the party,” he said.

Lenggong MP Shamsul Anuar meanwhile tweeted that he was staying put with Umno.

“For the sake of religion, race and country. My loyalty remains with Umno. What is going viral is not true at all,” he tweeted, referring to the list.

With Umno’s 49 lawmakers, BN has only 52 seats in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat. PAS has 18.

Mustapa yesterday said he had lost faith in Umno’s direction, seen to lean even more to the right in its attempts to cooperate with rival PAS.

Anifah, who quit today, said the party’s failure to return Sabah’s lost rights was among the main reasons why he left the party. – September 19, 2018.