KUALA LUMPUR – The disciplinary action by Umno against Tan Sri Noh Omar was taken after the party gathered evidence proving internal sabotage during the 15th general election.
Selangor Umno liaison chief Datuk Seri Megat Zulkarnain Omardin said claims alleging that his sacking was due to his objection to a party motion not to contest the top two posts during the recent Umno general assembly are false.
Speaking to the media after last night’s Supreme Council meeting, Megat revealed that there were 16 reports lodged against Noh for sabotaging the party during the federal polls.
He also confirmed that Umno had initially only meted out a six-year suspension against Noh, but the latter insisted he be expelled instead.
“All the accusations were proven to be true. It was checked, reviewed and probed by the disciplinary board,” he said.
“So, it’s not true to say that the decision to initially suspend him was done due to him not supporting the motion (of no contest). It has nothing to do with that.”
Earlier last night, Noh said he was initially informed by Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that he was suspended from Umno but he later challenged the party president to sack him.
He said this is after the party decided to take disciplinary action against him despite him yet to meet the disciplinary board in a meeting scheduled for Monday.
“I said to him (Zahid), ‘no, don’t suspend, it’s better to sack me’. What’s the point of being in a party that has strayed from its original struggle?
“The president said ‘if you want to be sacked, then so be it’. He said okay, with this, I am fired. I told him ‘thank you’.”
He also revealed that his decision not to support a motion tabled at the Umno general assembly earlier this month not to contest the president and deputy president posts is based on principle, adding that the matter was against the party’s own constitution.
Explaining Umno’s decision to take action against Noh even before his meeting with the disciplinary board, Megat said this is because the investigation process has already taken its course.
“Perhaps, the board had called him in to explain its decision, that’s beyond me. But the process has taken place.”
Megat also lambasted Noh for arbitrarily pressuring the president to sack him when he could have appealed his initial suspension.
“He was not dismissed initially, only suspended. But he challenged to be sacked.
“We gave him ample time to talk (during the meeting). Even after he asked to be dismissed, the meeting still allowed him room to speak. And we even told him twice to go and meet the disciplinary board.
“But that (sacking) was what he wanted. When he repeatedly asked, the president agreed,” he said.
Other than Noh, former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin was also sacked yesterday in a massive internal purge.
Several other high-profile members, including Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Shahril Sufian Hamdan, were also issued a six-month suspension from the party effective immediately. – The Vibes, January 28, 2023
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