KUALA LUMPUR – Former Umno information chief Shahril Sufian Hamdan has brushed aside allegations that he is next in line to be culled from the party, following the sacking of party veteran Tan Sri Annuar Musa and two Wanita Umno division leaders.
Asserting that rumours of his removal from the party were spread by “cybertroopers aligned with certain individuals in Umno”, Shahril said he has not received any news of his alleged sacking.
“You will have to check with Umno leadership (about the sacking of party members) as any disciplinary sanctions are decided by (party) leadership and the Supreme Council,” he told The Vibes.
“As far as I know, the Supreme Council last night didn’t sack anyone other than the three mentioned.”
Earlier today, speculations made the rounds on social media, claiming that Shahril, Khairy Jamaluddin, former Selangor Umno chief Tan Sri Noh Omar, and other figures from the Barisan Nasional (BN) linchpin will be removed from the party.
Shahril resigned as Umno information chief after Barisan Nasional’s (BN) drab performance in the 15th general election (GE15), urging BN chairman and party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to “honourably” step back to set an example.
Noh also made a similar move, stepping down from his post as Selangor Umno chief and noting that his decision was made after Zahid elected to drop him from contesting in GE15. He was Tg Karang MP prior to GE15.
Last night, Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi said Zahid will be taking a stricter approach against members who tarnish the party’s image, including by smearing the party’s name and revealing matters discussed during internal meetings.
While Puad did not reveal then the names of the three division leaders sacked from the party, Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan confirmed today that the Supreme Council decided that Annuar, who has been with Umno since 1979, is one of those sacked.
The other two are Arau Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shamsiah Yasin and her Maran counterpart Datin Seri Fatimah Kassim, who were both temporarily suspended on November 16 for supporting candidates of an opposing party in GE15.
Annuar has since taken to his Facebook page to put up a post with what appears to be a veiled metaphor for his removal, writing down a dream he claimed to have had last night about his “house being on fire”.
After BN’s decision to form a unity government led by Pakatan Harapan, Annuar had conducted a press conference in which he went on the assault on Zahid.
Among others, Annuar said that BN's poor performance in the election was proof that the people had rejected Zahid, and urged the latter to resign from his presidency. – The Vibes, December 9, 2022
