KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 — Former minister Khairy Jamaluddin appears uncowed in the face of his latest political test.

The 47-year-old was among 44 people expelled from Umno last night.

"Tonight, I was sacked by the party that I love, to which I had given my loyalty.

"Unbowed, unbent, unbroken,” he tweeted in an immediate response just after midnight after Umno confirmed a series of sackings and suspensions.

In an update to his Twitter profile, Khairy touted himself the president of the Negeri Sembilan Bicycle Racing Association.

So far, the former Rembau MP who ran for the Sungai Buloh parliamentary seat last November in the 15th general election after ceding the Negeri Sembilan seat to Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has not indicated his immediate political plans.

Just days prior to his sacking, Khairy had been invited to join PAS but declined, saying his heart is always with Umno.

Citing an unnamed source, news portal Malaysiakini reported today that Khairy was sacked for making a speech that the party had "gone astray” while on stumping in GE15, and not for his claim about "imported delegates” at its recent general assembly to prevent challengers to the top two posts.

The source, which Malaysiakini described as close to Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said Khairy’s speech was perceived as an attack on Umno and went against the party discipline code.

A self-styled reformist, Khairy had vowed to cleanse his party and aimed for the presidency.

Khairy was Umno Youth chief for 10 years from 2008 to 2018 before resigning following the Barisan Nasional’s defeat to Pakatan Harapan in the 14th general election.

In the same year, he also lost his bid to be party president to Ahmad Zahid.