A month ago, Tengku Zafrul Aziz was warmly welcomed by the sports fraternity into their fold.

On May 10, the corporate man turned rising political star was appointed the new president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) for the 2025-2029 term.

As a badminton fan, I also welcome Zafrul to play a more prominent role in Malaysian badminton. Why not, if a person of his stature is prepared to spend his time and resources to help develop our national sport!

This past week, Zafrul has been hogging the limelight for a different reason, politics to be more precise.

Not surprisingly, his decision to leave Umno for PKR is much more controversial than his appointment as the head of a sports association.

Unlike the BAM appointment, not everyone is happy with his latest political move.

His detractors have called him names, including the demeaning “political tourist” while his supporters said he would give “added value” to PKR, given his background and experience.

As for me, being a keen political observer, I don’t think it would do the nation any good if certain politicians are placed on a high pedestal of indispensability or invincibility.

At the moment, I don’t think there is any exceptional or extraordinary Malaysian politician deserving of the “statesman” status. None. Not any of our former prime ministers or the current one.

There are no statesmen in Malaysia, as far as I’m concerned, only career politicians. Take that in with a pinch of salt, if you must.

When someone is described as a political rising star, it is either because he is ‘blessed’ with strong cables and ascended the political ladder unusually quick, or he is regularly mired in controversy, positive or negative, good or bad.

Zafrul is in that awkward situation today. His announcement that he has left Umno to join Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s PKR has ignited significant controversy within the nation’s political landscape.

This development has stirred tensions within the unity government coalition, highlighting underlying issues of party loyalty, internal dynamics and strategic maneuvering.

Already, several Umno leaders have called for his resignation from the cabinet.

They have also reminded the prime minister that Zafrul’s post as the minister of investment, trade and industry is an Umno quota and that it must be returned to the party.

The many salvos from Umno against Zafrul were not unexpected given the minister’s strained relations within Umno.

Zafrul’s relationship with Umno has been fraught with challenges.

Following Umno’s poor performance in the 2023 Selangor state elections, where the party secured only two out of 12 contested seats, Zafrul resigned as the state chapter’s treasurer in April 2024, citing dissatisfaction with the party’s revival efforts.

Sources suggest that internal power struggles and fears of being overshadowed led certain Umno leaders to sideline him, exacerbating tensions and prompting him to explore opportunities elsewhere.

Umno has been very vocal about party-hopping of late, probably because the party is in a vulnerable state.

No surprise that it has expressed strong objections to the idea of Zafrul joining PKR, viewing it as a breach of coalition trust.

Party secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki emphasized that poaching members from coalition partners undermines unity and could jeopardize the government’s stability.

This stance reflects Umno’s broader concerns about maintaining cohesion within the unity government formed after the 2022 general elections.

Then, there is speculation that Zafrul’s potential move to PKR is strategically motivated.

Reports indicate that discussions have taken place about him contesting a seat in Selangor, possibly paving the way for him to become the state’s menteri besar.

Not surprisingly, such a move did not go down well with certain groups in PKR, particularly those aligned with the sitting Selangor MB Amirudin Shari.

If you ask me about the speculated move to force a by-election, be it for a Selangor state seat or parliamentary seat, in order for Zafrul to be an elected representative, I would brush it aside immediately as a very bad idea.

I don’t think Zafrul, or anyone else, is indispensable, if I must repeat.

Hey, what had the forced by-election several years ago in Port Dickson came to? I don’t think there was anything spectacular arising out of that by-election.

And not surprisingly too, coalition partners in the Madani government are worried about the implications surrounding Zafrul’s potential defection.

Umno Youth chief Akmal Saleh has called for a review of the party’s participation in the coalition if such defections are permitted, highlighting the fragility of the alliance.

The situation underscores the challenges of maintaining a cohesive government composed of parties with differing ideologies and interests.

Public reaction to Zafrul’s possible party switch has been mixed. Some view it as a pragmatic move given his strained relations within Umno, while others see it as opportunistic.

Additionally, his connections to the royal institution and previous roles in government add layers of complexity to public perceptions and political calculations.

Zafrul’s contemplated shift from Umno to PKR is mired in controversy due to internal party conflicts, concerns over coalition stability, strategic political maneuvering and varied public perceptions.

The situation reflects the intricate and often volatile nature of Malaysian politics, where personal ambitions, party dynamics and coalition politics intersect.

I hope Zafrul and those with him can do the right thing. He should sit the next one year or two out before the general election when his term as senator expires.

Patience is what I think is missing in this episode which might backfire on PM Anwar and his Madani government, if not handled with extreme caution.

(Francis Paul Siah is a veteran Sarawak editor and currently heads the Movement for Change Sarawak, MoCS. He can be reached at [email protected].)