KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 — Shahril Sufian Hamdan today announced his resignation as the UMNO Information chief on the basis of collective responsibility, following the party’s dismal performance in the 15th General Election (GE15).
In a statement uploaded on his official Facebook page, Shahril, however said that he would continue to stay with the party.
“I appreciate the opportunity that has been given and will not forget it. It’s just that, this is a matter of a much greater benefit.
“Like the others, I remain loyal to UMNO. The party’s struggles haven’t come to an end. This is not the end,” he said.
Shahril also urged Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to step down as UMNO president and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman.
“I am of the opinion that the UMNO president and BN chairman has to set an example by taking responsibility for this defeat by stepping down with dignity.
“Let the leadership and other individuals lead discussions to make the next big decision for this party,” he said.
In GE15, BN suffered the worst defeat in its political history when it won only 30 parliamentary seats, while Pakatan Harapan (PH) had 82 seats and Perikatan Nasional had 73 seats.
Shahril also lost in the Alor Gajah seat after obtaining 27,288 votes against PH’s Adly Zahari who obtained 28,178 votes.
