Umno purge: What happened at the supreme council meeting before the axe fell

PETALING JAYA – Despite Umno leaders warning Zahid Hamidi that he was not following due process, the president of Malaysia’s oldest political party went ahead and

“axed” several leaders at its supreme council meeting

on Friday night, said a source.

The source said five supreme council members objected to Zahid’s decision and only three agreed with him. Describing Friday’s heated moments, the source said Zahid opened the meeting by announcing the sacking of former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and the list of those suspended from the party.

Former Selangor Umno state chief and ex-federal minister Noh Omar immediately stood up and asked that he be sacked instead of being suspended for six years, to which Zahid retorted, “If you want that, so be it”, the source added.

“When opened to the floor, Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob stood up and argued that any sacking and suspension must be made in accordance with the laws and due process,” said the source.

Former prime minister Ismail said that those facing punishment must first be given a show cause letter, the right to defend themselves before the disciplinary board, followed by an appeal to the management before the Umno supreme council makes a decision.

“Ismail said suspending and sacking Umno leaders and members without a show cause letter is unfair as they would not be able to defend themselves and they would also not know the reason they were axed,” said the source, adding that the former PM also warned that voters will judge Umno by its actions and this may cause a backlash against the party during elections.

A few other supreme council members, said the source, also stood up to state their disapproval over Zahid’s action as it was not carried out according to the party Constitution. Former housing minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican also spoke against the sacking of Mr Khairy and pleaded with Zahid to show some mercy.

“However, after they spoke, Zahid insisted that he was sticking to what he announced and refused to budge,” added the source.

On Friday, Umno sacked former youth chief Khairy and supreme council member Noh Omar.

Others punished included former minister for defence and foreign affairs, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who was suspended for six years.

Former Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan, former youth exco member Fathul Bari Mat Jahya, former Tebrau division chief Maulizan Bujang and former Jempol MP Salim Shariff were also suspended for six years.

Mr Khairy and Mr Shahril both claimed Umno had not gone through the right procedures in punishing them.

“Confirmed no due process. No show cause letter, no disciplinary hearing,” the former Rembau MP Khairy wrote on Instagram. “Summarily and unilaterally sacked from a party I have been loyal to for 23 years.”

Referring to his suspension, former deputy youth chief Shahril said: “I was never called by the disciplinary board, I never received any letters, I also don’t know what reason they used to take this action.”

There was speculation he had been punished for a video he released to announce his resignation from his post as information chief after losing his parliamentary seat contest during November’s general election. In the video, he had asked party president Zahid to take responsibility after Umno’s poor showing at the polls.

Umno in a press statement said actions were taken against those involved for criticising the party president and working with opposition parties during the last general election.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK