KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 — Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan today confirmed that the party has terminated the membership of Isham Jalil.
Rumours of Isham’s sacking started last night when the latter defied a call from party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to attend the Umno supreme council meeting here and explain his criticism about the top echelon’s decision to work with old political foe DAP, as a part of the coalition government led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“Membership terminated,” Ahmad told Malay Mail in a terse message when contacted if Isham was sacked as a member of the Umno supreme council or from the party.
Last night, it was reported that Isham was sacked by the party following discussions during an Umno supreme council meeting earlier that same evening.
The New Straits Times reported that a source, who attended the meeting and requested anonymity, said that Isham was sacked with immediate effect.
But it remains unclear whether he was fired as a supreme council member or completely from the party.
Another Umno supreme council member Datuk Mohd Zaidy Abdul Kadir said the decision to fire Isham was appropriate.
“Exactly in line with the principle of putting the party before any individual,” he said in a Facebook post.
“The act of dismissing Isham also illustrates that Umno does not compromise with any individual who tries to divide the party; thus, damaging the cohesion of its members.
“This is a decision that Isham himself would appear to welcome, as he seems to want to be fired from the party by expressing public views that are not in line with Umno’s aspirations lately.”
Mohd Zaidy, who is also Jeram Padang assemblyman in Negeri Sembilan, said Isham’s behaviour needed to be addressed to instil in other party members the importance of obeying party discipline regardless of their position in the party.
“Therefore, as a party leader at the grassroots level, I express my appreciation and thanks to the party leadership at the central level, especially Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid, for carrying out disciplinary action and firing Isham who clearly has his own agenda,” he said.
He called upon party members to remain loyal to Umno’s objectives.
“Stay the course and believe in our struggle, and together, do your best so that Umno continues to be the chosen vessel for the struggle of the Malays.
“If there are opinions to be conveyed as a leader or a party member, use the proper channels and do it in an amicable way. I am confident that if the struggle is our priority, then Umno will continue to be the choice of Malays and Malaysians as a whole,” he said.
