Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob. — Filepic/The Star
PETALING JAYA: The decision to sack and suspend several Umno leaders was not made according to due process, says Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
The former prime minister said he did not agree with the decision made by the Umno supreme council as “it was against the legal process and principle of natural justice”.
“There was no show cause letter given to the accused to let them know their offences.
“There was also no chance given to them to answer to the show cause letter,” he said in an Instagram post.
Ismail Sabri added that the accused should have been given the opportunity to defend themselves before the disciplinary committee.
“If the disciplinary committee finds the accused guilty or otherwise, then it has to give recommendations to the party’s management committee. The Umno management committee needs to discuss and bring the proposal to the supreme council for a decision,” he said.
Ismail Sabri said this process was, however, not followed and he claimed that the disciplinary committee had never advised party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to take any action against the group. Instead, he said the committee had only informed the president of the reports made against the accused.
“Therefore, I disagree with the decision because there was a real flaw in the decision-making process to sack and suspend them.
“As a civilised party, Umno must be seen as being transparent in taking any action,” he added.
On Friday night, the Umno supreme council sacked former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and supreme council member Tan Sri Noh Omar.
Others who were suspended include Sembrong division chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and former Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan.
