GEORGE TOWN – Umno veteran Tan Sri Mohd Yussof Latiff has proposed that leaders who were sacked and suspended from the party last week be allowed to lodge their respective appeals.
The 92-year-old also mooted that the Umno Supreme Council should greenlight the setting up of an independent review board to hear the appeals, which would ensure transparency and accountability within the party’s sphere.
Speaking to The Vibes, Yussof said the board should be free from Umno Supreme Council influence and not be composed of its members.
“We need to be fair in our actions.
“Although the sackings and suspensions were sanctioned by the party’s highest decision-making body, the Supreme Council, we also need to allow appeals as part of the democratic process.
Even in courts, an accused is allowed a chance to appeal,” he said.
Yussof also hoped that due consideration would be given to those sacked based on their contributions to the party.
“The issue of Umno sacking its members is nothing extraordinary. It has happened before, but the due process should be observed to illustrate that the party is fair and just.
If the party fails to ensure a proper way of dismissal, it will eventually weaken Umno and its credibility,” he added.
Umno’s top decision-making body on Friday announced the sackings of Supreme Council member Tan Sri Noh Omar and former Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin for breaching the party’s constitution.
Also sacked were five Umno members from the Pasir Gudang division, nine from the Putrajaya division, two from the Tg Karang division, and 26 members from Pahang.
Sembrong Umno chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, meanwhile, was suspended for six years along with Umno Youth deputy chief Shahril Sufian Hamdan, Tebrau Umno chief Datuk Maulizan Bujang, and Jempol Umno chief Datuk Seri Mohd Salim Mohd Sharif.
Among the offences cited were standing as independent candidates, being candidates of parties other than Barisan Nasional, and helping opposition parties during the 15th general election.
Umno information chief Isham Jalil yesterday said Noh, Khairy, and the other sanctioned members can still defend themselves and appeal several times to the disciplinary board.
“If Tan Sri Noh and Khairy as well as the others can disprove the evidence against them, I believe the disciplinary board will decide fairly,” he said. – The Vibes, January 30, 2023
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