KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Dr Shahruddin Salleh has resigned as the Deputy Works Minister effectively today.
In a letter sighted by the New Straits Times, Shahruddin sent his resignation note to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
"I would like to thank the prime minister for allowing me to be part of your cabinet.
"I will remain seated at the Perikatan Nasional backbenchers seat," he wrote.
Later, in a statement to the media, Shahruddin revealed the reasons behind his decision.
"Today is June 4, 2020, and I officially announce my resignation effective today. I have made and an inaccurate political analysis (ijtihad politik) by joining the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.
Shahruddin, who is also Sri Gading Member of Parliament, said he had reached the decision after a "careful consideration" and that he wished to undo his mistake of leaving Pakatan Harapan.
"I should have prioritised the decision made by Sri Gading voters who picked PH in the 14th General Election.
"As the first step to rectify the mistake, I have decided to resign from my (ministerial) post which was an appointment made by a prime minister (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) from the PN government."
The former Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia secretary-general had on Tuesday, said he was prepared to relinquish his government portfolio if it would strengthen the party, currently divided by political camps.
While lauding PN's decision to support Muhyiddin as the prime minister, Shahruddin said the coalition had remained unregistered with the Registrar of Societies.
He claimed that such a status had cast ambiguity on the decision to sack Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and four other MPs from Bersatu for colluding with the opposition in the Dewan Rakyat.
Bersatu is currently split into two factions, with one supporting Dr Mahathir and the other is with Muhyiddin.
Last Friday, Shahruddin met Dr Mahathir at Bersatu headquarters in Petaling Jaya, and the media was told that he would join a press conference that day together with Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Special Functions) Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof for "an important announcement".
However, the media conference was never held. Redzuan in a statement later that day said he had never called for the press conference.