KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 — An Umno Youth leader has moved swiftly to dismiss speculation that the wing’s chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh is preparing to resign, using a Facebook post and a planned campaign trip to Sabah to underline that he remains politically active.
Umno Youth secretary Hafiz Ariffin appeared to brush off the rumours in a Facebook post today, sharing a photo of himself with Akmal at the airport and questioning the reports as the pair prepared to fly to Sabah.
“What news is this? There’s so much work that needs to be done,” Hafiz wrote, adding: “Let’s go Kinabatangan and Lamag! Fight on!”
Hafiz later confirmed to Free Malaysia Today (FMT) that the reports were untrue, saying he was travelling with Akmal to Kinabatangan, Sabah, to assist Umno’s campaign for the upcoming by-election.
“It’s not true,” he said.
“In fact, we are heading to Kinabatangan now for (tomorrow’s) nominations for the by-election.”
The denial followed a report by Malaysiakini citing unnamed sources who claimed Akmal had expressed an intention to resign as Umno Youth chief and as the Merlimau assemblyman.
According to the report, the Melaka executive councillor had informed a group of Umno Youth leaders via a WhatsApp message while he was in Shanghai, China, that he would relinquish all party positions and his state seat upon returning.
Speculation over Akmal’s future intensified earlier this week after he hinted that he might step aside, saying “perhaps it is time for me to step aside” following Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s rejection of his call for the party to leave the federal government.
Zahid also dismissed Akmal’s proposal for Umno to revive cooperation with PAS under the Muafakat Nasional charter.
Akmal had tabled the proposal during an Umno political bureau meeting on Monday, framing it as a matter of principle after the party’s continued participation in government.
