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Former Malaysian Prime Minister and UMNO Vice-President Ismail Sabri Yaakob said on Saturday (Jan. 28) that he disagreed with the decision to sack and suspend several high-level UMNO members, calling the decision-making process "flawed".

Sabri expressed his "disappointment" on the matter, and explained his position in an Instagram post on Saturday evening.

News and rumours of the shake-up within UMNO broke late Friday, with former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin confirming his sacking in a Twitter post at 12:23am.

Former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein was the other top leader who was suspended.

The sackings and suspensions were handed down by UMNO President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi during a supreme council meeting on Jan. 27, according to The Star.

Disciplinary committee did not advise UMNO chief on actions: Sabri

Elaborating on his position, Sabri stated that the dismissals and suspensions were made in violation of the legal process, and are contrary to the principle of "natural justice" such as the right to defend oneself, according to the New Straits Times (NST).

Sabri said those who received the axe were not given a "show cause letter" informing them of the charges against them.

Consequently, the accused were not provided the opportunity to defend themselves against the accusations in front of the UMNO disciplinary board.

Sabri also revealed in his post that the party's disciplinary committee did not advise the party chief on the action he took, according to Free Malaysia Today (FMT).

Instead, they only informed Zahid that there were reports against those accused.

Six officials sacked and suspended in total

Sabri mentioned also in the Instagram post that along with Khairy's sacking, four other officials received a six-year suspension:

• Former defence minister and Sembrong division chief Hishammuddin Hussein
• Former party information chief Shahril Sufian Hamdan
• Former Jempol division chief Salim Sharif
• Chairman for UMNO's Selangor state party Noh Omar

Noh Omar later demanded to be sacked, a demand which Zahid granted.

The Star reported that UMNO Tebrau division chief Maulizan Bujang was also suspended.

Zahid faced objections, will explain actions soon

According to a report by The Star, Sabri made the same protests to Zahid during the supreme council meeting.

In total, five council members had objected to Zahid's decision during the meeting, while three supported it, The Star wrote.

According to FMT, Zahid told Berita Harian at the sidelines of an event that he will explain his decisions soon.

Reactions from axed leaders

In the meantime, the axed leaders provided their reactions on social media and some media outlets.

They focused on the lack of transparency and due process in the decision, while resolving to fight on.

Hishammuddin has responded in a Facebook video on 28 Jan., saying that he will meet with his UMNO counterparts in Sembrong to discuss the next steps, though his resolve to fight for "religion, race and country" is unwavered, according to Malay Mail.

Hishammuddin also posted a cryptic Instagram post earlier, saying that "their evil must not make us lose our good".

Khairy said in an Instagram story that there was no due process, no show cause letter and no disciplinary hearing.

"Summarily and unilaterally sacked from a party I have been loyal to for 23 years," he posted on his Instagram story.

Salim told FMT that he is "puzzled" by the suspension and did not know what he had done wrong.

Shahril shared in a Twitter video that he will not be appealing the decision as it was not carried out according to party procedures, Malay Mail wrote.

Shahril said that "God willing, once Shahril Hamdan becomes a fighter, we will not ‘gostan’ (make a U-turn)".

The former information chief also surmised that he might have been suspended for telling the UMNO president to take responsibility for the party's poor showing during the past general election, among other possibilities.

Top image via Ismail Sabri/Facebook, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi/Facebook