Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Ghapur Salleh, 64, yesterday submitted his resignation letter just eight days after accepting his appointment.

Datuk Seri Abdullah said yesterday he had accepted the resignation.

'He gave his reason and it has nothing to do with that (loss of confidence in the government). It is a very private reason,' the Prime Minister said.

'He wanted to see me but I could not (meet him) because I was involved in so many things. So he left me a letter.'

Datuk Ghapur, who is an Umno leader and MP from Sabah, was quoted by The Star as saying that he was 'not interested in any government post'.

'I just want to do my own thing. I do not want people to speculate as my commitment is to Umno and its leadership under Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi,' he said.

He is the third MP to refuse a government position, and the second from Sabah to do so.

Last week, Datuk Anifah Aman from Sabah and Datuk Tengku Azlan Abu Bakar from Pahang rejected their deputy minister positions. Both said they had been in those positions for too long.

There is speculation that all three MPs may rally to the side of Kelantan prince Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who has declared his intention to challenge Datuk Seri Abdullah for the Umno presidency.

Sabah is also said to be the target of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who is trying to secure the defection of Barisan Nasional MPs to his side.

Datuk Seri Anwar has said several times that he had been approached by BN MPs willing to defect. So far, none has done so.

There were scares last week when two Sarawak MPs were reported to be ready to jump ship, but both denied it later.