[UPDATED] Umno suspends Tajuddin, Alor Star division chief as members

KUALA LUMPUR – Former Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman has been suspended as a party member effective immediately largely due to his criticism against party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said sources.

Along with Tajuddin, Alor Star division chief Datuk Mohd Yusof Ismail was also suspended for similar reasons.

However, it was not made clear how long the duo’s suspension will last.

The decision was reached during the Supreme Council meeting yesterday but was not formally listed in a statement issued by Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan last night.

The Vibes is attempting to contact Tajuddin and Yusof for comments.

On Thursday, the Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia, Hermono, told BFM News that Malaysia was set to appoint a career diplomat as its new representative to the neighbouring country.

Earlier in June, Tajuddin had reportedly confirmed receiving an invitation to Istana Negara for his official appointment to Indonesia in a ceremony scheduled for 2pm on June 20.

However, in a statement on June 20, Comptroller of the Royal Household Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah was receiving treatment in hospital and has postponed all his programmes in the near future.

By July 12, Tajuddin was reportedly dropped from the list of envoys who were scheduled to receive their appointment letters from the king.

Tajuddin was also sacked as a Supreme Council member in June due to his criticism of the party and was replaced by former Selangor Barisan Nasional information chief Isham Jalil.

After his sacking from the Supreme Council, he held a press conference, dropping bombshells that he is a “living witness” to statutory declarations (SD) signed last year supporting opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister.

He also disclosed that several top leaders in the party – Zahid and Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz – signed on.

In the same press conference, Tajuddin alleged that there was an internal movement to topple Zahid as the party’s “big boss” and that the movement was led by party number two Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

Lastly, the three-term Pasir Salak MP said he was ready to defend his seat as an independent candidate should he be sacked from Umno.

“If Umno wishes to play rough, I can do the same by contesting as an independent candidate. During the (political) tsunami, support for me has gone up with a huge majority. I have never lost.

“It’s impossible to say I don’t sayang (love) Umno anymore, I have been with this party for 50 years. This is the place I grew up in, from merely a kampung boy to where I am now.”

Previously, Perak PAS extended an invitation for Tajuddin to defend Pasir Salak under the Perikatan Nasional ticket in the 15th general election. – The Vibes, October 1, 2022