Anifah Aman said he would continue his responsibilities to his constituents as elected representative for Kimanis. — Bernama pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 — Kimanis MP Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said today he resigned from Umno because Barisan Nasional (BN) failed to implement pledges related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

The former Sabah Umno leader said although he has left the opposition party, he would continue his responsibilities to his constituents as elected representative for Kimanis.

“I made this decision because I previously promised my voters in the Kimanis constituency and Sabah people in general that I would resign from the party if Umno and Barisan Nasional failed to fulfill their promises in relation to the Malaysia Agreement 1963,” Anifah said in a statement.

“I acknowledge that without Umno and Barisan Nasional at the seat of power, my struggle would not have borne fruit. However, I hold fast to what I previously promised, which was that I would resign if my struggle for Sabahans cannot continue under this party.”

The former foreign minister urged the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government to restore the rights of Sabah and Sarawak under the Malaysia Agreement.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said recently that his administration was committed to returning equal status to Sabah and Sarawak as partners of the peninsula in the Malaysian federation.

Anifah is the fifth MP to exit Umno since the general election, leaving the once long-ruling Malay nationalist party with 49 federal lawmakers.

Jeli MP and former minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed announced his resignation from Umno last night. Masjid Tanah MP Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal, and Bagan Serai MP Datuk Noor Azmi Ghazali left the Malay nationalist party in recent months.

Speculation is rife that more MPs will quit Umno.