Zahid: Prime Minister Can Sack BN Ministers If Displeased, No Cause to Resign

SEREMBAN — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has the full executive authority to dismiss him and all Barisan Nasional (BN) cabinet members if he is dissatisfied with them, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said, asserting that there is no valid reason for any BN minister to resign voluntarily.

The Deputy Prime Minister made the remarks in response to recent warnings by Anwar, who cautioned ministers, deputy ministers, and government agency appointees against leveraging their federal status to attack coalition partners while campaigning in the ongoing Negeri Sembilan state election. The Prime Minister had stated that any official violating campaign ethics would be asked to step down.

Ahmad Zahid highlighted that eight full ministers and seven deputy ministers from BN are currently serving with high efficiency, demonstrating the coalition’s proven administrative track record within the government framework.

“Eight ministers from BN are currently serving as full ministers along with seven deputy ministers. This is proof that we are a party with solid administrative experience,” Ahmad Zahid said.

“That is why we are performing well. We do not bring up other ministries or ministers from other parties; we don’t. We only talk about ourselves,” he emphasized.

Addressing calls for resignations, the UMNO President noted that cabinet appointments fall strictly under the Prime Minister’s constitutional jurisdiction, making demands for voluntary resignations unnecessary.

“I answered earlier that there is no need to tell us to resign because the person who appoints ministers is the Prime Minister,” he said.

“If he doesn’t like us, just sack us. But I doubt he would have the heart to do so, as we are all working hard and working very successfully,” Ahmad Zahid added.

He gave firm assurances that political dynamics on the state campaign trail would not jeopardize the operational stability of the federal administration in Putrajaya.

“What I spoke about earlier is what was issued in blue (BN). Those are his powers (the Prime Minister’s). This is an election campaign; we are not touching anything in Putrajaya (the Federal Government). This is a state-level election,” he explained.

-NMT