Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad said this was in line with her party’s decision to withdraw support from the Perikatan Nasional government, which she must obey as the Wanita Umno chief. — Photo by Hari Anggara
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad has become the latest Umno minister to resign from Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s Cabinet.
In a statement, she said this was in line with her party’s decision to withdraw support from the Perikatan Nasional government, which she must obey as the Wanita Umno chief.
“I resign as the minister of higher education, a Cabinet member of the federal administration, with immediate effect.
“The party’s decision will be implemented when Parliament convenes,” she said.
Earlier, she thanked Muhyiddin for her appointment but explained that she must abide by Umno’s decision in the matter.
Noraini is the second Umno leader to leave Muhyiddin’s Cabinet this week, after Datuk Seri Shamsul Anuar Nasarah resigned as the energy and natural resources minister on Tuesday.
Her announcement also came after Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, the deputy prime minister, led a group of Barisan Nasional lawmakers to pledge support for the Muhyiddin administration earlier today.
The pledge has since been met with denials from as many as three BN lawmakers who were presented as among the 31 federal lawmakers said to be backing Muhyiddin.
Earlier this week, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said enough of his party’s MPs have signed a declaration withdrawing support for PN to deny it the simple majority needed to remain the government of the day.
He accused Muhyiddin and his government of defying and belittling the Agong by failing to abide by his decree that the Emergence Ordinances be tabled for debate in both Houses of Parliament.
Zahid has urged his party’s leaders in the Cabinet to resign their posts as a result of the Umno decision to abandon PM.
On Wednesday, Muhyiddin announced that a confidence vote will be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat when it convenes in September, after insisting that he possessed statutory declarations from MPs expressing support for him to remain as the PM.