KUALA LUMPUR – Ahli Majlis Kerja Tertinggi (MKT) UMNO, Tengku Zafrul tidak dicantas oleh mana-mana pihak di dalam UMNO Selangor, sebaliknya beliau sendiri yang memilih untuk tidak bertanding dalam Pilihan Raya Umum Negeri Selangor ke1-15 pada tahun lalu.
Semalam Pengerusi Perhubungan UMNO Selangor, Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin tampil menjawab tuduhan bahawa UMNO Selangor menghalang Menteri Pelaburan, Perdagangan dan Industri itu daripada bertanding dan berlaku elemen ‘cah keting’ dalam UMNO Selangor.
Dalam sesi wawancara bersama portal MalaysiaGazzete, Megat mendedahkan perbualan WhatsApp beliau dengan Zafrul yang antara lain mendedahkan nama Menteri MITI tersebut memang dalam senarai dan telah dipersetujui oleh Presiden Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Namun menurut Megat, pada pagi 12 Julai 2023 sebelum pengumuman nama calon Barisan Nasional untuk PRN enam negeri, Zafrul telah menarik diri.
Bagi membuktikan fakta tersebut Megat mendedahkan dua perbualan WhatsApp beliau dengan Zafrul kepada pengacara tanpa menamakan individu terkait dalam WhatsApp tersebut.
Menurut Megat mesej pertama beliau terima pada malam sebelum pengumuman (awal pagi 12 Julai),
“Saya menerima mesej dari Tengku Zafrul pada 12 Julai 2023 yang menyatakan- Salam Datuk Wira Megat, saya baru habis dengan XXX, I had a very good meeting with XXX tonight. Spent for an half hour with XXX. I shared with XXX, what we have discuss earlier and XXX is very supportive and will give full support if UMNO bagi saya peluang untuk bertanding di Jeram. I told XXX, you are fully support me and it is now up to our President.”
Bagaimanapun menurut Megat lagi, pada pagi 12 Julai tersebut Zafrul telah menghantar satu lagi mesej menyatakan penarikan diri dari pencalonan.
“Datuk Wira, XXX (bukan XXX semalam) said best to me no to contest – I think best to follow XXX decission. He has his reason and rational, we must respect his decision as, saya akur bro, thank you for your support.”
Menurut Megat lagi, beliau telah menasihatkan Zafrul jangan berjumpa dengan pemimpin kedua pada pagi tersebut kerana mungkin akan berlaku pujukan agar beliau tidak bertanding.
“Beliau (zafrul) mengatakan pagi esoknya ada pertemuan dengan XXX. Saya mengatakan jangan pergi. Kita dah dekat nak umum calon. Andaian saya ialah pasti akan ada pemujukan supaya dia tidak bertanding. Dan ini bukan daripada Presiden. YAB Datuk Seri Presiden telah bersetuju untuk menamakannya, hasil daripada cadangan Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan UMNO Negeri,” ujar Megat.
Dalam wawancara tersebut Megat juga turut menceritakan bagaimana beliau berunding dengan Amanah untuk mendapat sokongan Zafrul bertanding di DUN Jeram dengan memberi kerusi DUN Hulu Bernam kepada Amanah dan BN hanya bertanding di Batang Kali.
Zafrul sebelum ini mengeluar kenyataan mempertahankan dirinya dan mengkritik UMNO Selangor sebagai respon kepada laporan SuaraTV dan beberapa portal lain mengenai gosip beliau akan menyertai PKR bagi membuka laluan dilantik menjadi Menteri Besar Selangor.
[ENGLISH VERSION]
Zafrul Himself Refused to Contest in State Elections, Says Selangor UMNO
KUALA LUMPUR – UMNO Supreme Council (MKT) member Tengku Zafrul was not sidelined by any faction within UMNO Selangor. Instead, he himself chose not to contest in the 15th Selangor State Election last year.
Yesterday, the Selangor UMNO Liaison Committee Chairman, Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin, addressed allegations that Selangor UMNO prevented the Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry from contesting, claiming there was an element of sabotage within the party.
In an interview with the MalaysiaGazette portal, Megat revealed a WhatsApp conversation with Zafrul, showing that the MITI Minister’s name had been on the candidate list and was approved by UMNO President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
However, according to Megat, on the morning of July 12, 2023, before the announcement of Barisan Nasional candidates for the six state elections, Zafrul withdrew his candidacy.
To substantiate his claims, Megat disclosed two WhatsApp exchanges with Zafrul during the interview but did not name the individuals mentioned in the conversations.
According to Megat, the first message was received the night before the announcement (early morning of July 12):
“I received a message from Tengku Zafrul on July 12, 2023, saying: ‘Salam Datuk Wira Megat, I just finished with XXX. I had a very good meeting with XXX tonight. Spent half an hour with XXX. I shared with XXX what we discussed earlier, and XXX is very supportive and will fully support me if UMNO gives me the opportunity to contest in Jeram. I told XXX that you are fully supporting me, and now it is up to our President.’”
However, Megat added that later on the morning of July 12, Zafrul sent another message indicating his withdrawal from the candidacy:
“Datuk Wira, XXX (not the same XXX from last night) said it’s best for me not to contest. I think it’s best to follow XXX’s decision. He has his reasons and rationale, and we must respect his decision. I accept, bro. Thank you for your support.”
Megat further advised Zafrul not to meet with a second leader on the morning of July 12, as it might lead to persuasion against his candidacy.
“He (Zafrul) mentioned having a meeting with XXX the next morning. I told him not to go. We were close to announcing the candidates. My assumption was that there would likely be attempts to persuade him not to contest. And this did not come from the President. The President, Datuk Seri Zahid, had already agreed to nominate him, based on recommendations from the Selangor UMNO Liaison Committee Chairman.”
In the interview, Megat also shared how he negotiated with Amanah to secure support for Zafrul’s candidacy in the Jeram state constituency by offering the Hulu Bernam seat to Amanah while BN would contest only in Batang Kali.
Zafrul previously issued a statement defending himself and criticizing Selangor UMNO in response to reports by SuaraTV and several other portals about rumors that he might join PKR to pave the way for his appointment as Selangor Chief Minister.
