Malaysian councillor resigns after DAP remarks at Umno assembly

A Malaysian city councillor has resigned over remarks he made about the Democratic Action Party (DAP) at the recent Umno general assembly.Permatang Pauh Umno division chief Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said’s resignation as a Seberang Perai city councillor took effect on Monday, according to a letter made public by state local government committee chairman Jason H’ng Mooi Lye on Wednesday.In the letter, Zaidi apologised for his remarks during the assembly in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, where he represented Penang Umno.He acknowledged that as a councillor, he needed to be more careful when expressing views about parties that jointly formed and administered the state government.Zaidi said his remarks could have created a wrong perception of DAP, particularly in the context of cooperation within the Penang government.Penang’s Tanjung Bungah area is seen on April 9. Photo: AFPHe said he had considered the matter carefully and decided to take full responsibility for his mistake by resigning. Zaidi stressed that the decision was made voluntarily and without pressure from any party.In his speech at the Umno assembly, Zaidi claimed DAP was uneasy over efforts to bring Malays and Muslims together because the party feared losing political power.