GUA MUSANG: Rembia state assemblyman Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis said Umno's RM100 million suit over his move to Pas is intended to bankrupt him.
In a speech last night at the Meranto polling district unit ahead of the Nenggiri by-election, Jailani reiterated his reasons for leaving Umno.
He also denied receiving any financial incentive for joining the Islamic party led by Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang.
"People say joining Pas brings money? It brings suffering because I am being threatened with a RM100 million suit which could bankrupt me," he said.
Jailani cited his disappointment with Umno's leadership and the party's cooperation with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP as reasons for joining Pas.
"To force me to be friends with DAP is something I am very sensitive about, which is why I joined Pas," he said, adding that his principles of struggle based on religion and race could not be bought.
Previously, Pas secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan announced that Jailani, whose Umno membership was suspended, had officially joined Pas.
Jailani's Pas membership took effect in June of last year, increasing the opposition party's representation in the Melaka state assembly to three seats, up from two after the 2021 Melaka state election.
Concerns later emerged regarding the status of the Rembia assemblyman and whether he was subject to the anti-hopping law.
Takiyuddin said that Jailani joined Pas before the Melaka state assembly passed the law on July 31 last year.
Jailani won the 14th General Election on a PKR ticket and was one of four Pakatan Harapan assemblymen who defected to support Barisan Nasional to take over the state administration in March 2020.
He was reportedly expelled from PKR before joining Umno and later contested the state election on November 20, 2021, representing BN.
However, the assemblyman's Umno membership was suspended for six years, as recommended by the disciplinary board in September last year, due to his participation in opposition activities.
Last Wednesday, Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the party's supreme council decided to take legal action against Jailani, seeking RM100 million in damages and compensation.
This decision was made after the representative was accused of breaching the BN candidate representation agreement for the 15th Melaka state election, which had been signed before a commissioner of oaths and witnesses.