Speaking to reporters at a press conference, Loke sarcastically said he thought that Tengku Zafrul “served Muhyiddin Yassin” — the Bersatu president who brought in the former banker to helm the finance ministry in the former Perikatan Nasional-led (PN) government.

“It’s up to them. It’s their right,” he said when asked to comment on BN’s move to appoint Tengku Zafrul.

“Before this, I thought Tengku Zafrul served Muhyiddin Yassin, so I’m surprised that he chose Umno.”

The Seremban MP was speaking to reporters at the launch of a DAP fundraiser in preparation for the next general election (GE15).

Tengku Zafrul was the CEO of CIMB Group Holdings Bhd when then prime minister Muhyiddin picked him for the finance portfolio in March 2020. He was appointed a senator so that he could be a Cabinet member.

He maintained the portfolio when Ismail Sabri Yaakob took over as prime minister in August last year.

Tengku Zafrul was previously thought to be non-partisan. However, last May, Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan revealed that he had been an Umno member even before he became a federal minister in 2020.

There was speculation earlier that Tengku Zafrul was seeking a parliamentary seat to contest in Selangor and that he would do so in Kuala Selangor on an Umno ticket.

However, he had brushed aside talk about his political ambitions, insisting in June that he was “not thinking about politics”.

“We have been facing very difficult challenges managing the economic recovery, so I am focusing on my work,” he told reporters after a Hari Raya event.

But his new role as Selangor BN treasurer increases the likelihood of him being named a candidate in GE15.