<figure id="attachment_2993755" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2993755" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-2993755 size-full" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/7ff886ad-3_tengku_zafrul_aziz_moganraj_fmt_24022025-copy-3.webp" alt="" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-2993755" class="wp-caption-text">Investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz resigned from Umno in late May and subsequently joined PKR in August.</figcaption></figure>
PETALING JAYA: Investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul has dismissed speculation that he intends to vie for the Ampang parliamentary seat under PKR, saying that his decision to join the party was not motivated by any plan to contest in the next general election (GE16).
Tengku Zafrul, who joined PKR in August and became a member of its Ampang division, said there was no agreement with party president Anwar Ibrahim for him to contest in GE16, Utusan Malaysia reported.
He acknowledged receiving support from Ampang PKR to join the branch, but stressed that this does not guarantee him a candidacy.
&#8220;Before joining the party, I met with many people, including several state assemblymen and branch leaders. I also met many acquaintances from various branches.
<div class='youtube-container'><iframe loading="lazy" title="Tengku Zafrul rules out election bid in Ampang" width="580" height="326" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MlkIC9Nu3N8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
“However, it must be emphasised that there is no agreement with the president that I will be given the chance to contest in GE16,” he was quoted as saying.
In February, political sources told FMT that Tengku Zafrul was expected to contest a Selangor seat at the next general election, with Ampang being his top choice, and Petaling Jaya and Pandan as other possibilities.
These rumours were later <a href="https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2025/08/09/ampang-pkr-chief-dismisses-buzz-over-tengku-zafruls-ge16-prospects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">played down</a> by Ampang PKR chief Syed Ahmad Abdul Rahman Alhadad, who said that such talk was expected in politics.
Prior to his resignation from Umno in May 2025, Tengku Zafrul was a member of the party’s Supreme Council and the Kota Raja branch. He had also resigned as Selangor Umno treasurer in April last year.
His second and final term as senator expires at the end of the year, after which he will have to relinquish his role in the Cabinet as well.

MatchPoint Times

Tengku Zafrul rules out election bid in Ampang

The investment, trade and industry minister says joining PKR is not about contesting a seat, and no agreement exists with the party president on GE16.

MIPP endorses Muhyiddin as PM candidate

Typhoon Matmo hits southern China during peak holiday season