UMNO has filed legal suits against all former leaders who had defected the party after winning their parliamentary seats under Barisan Nasional in the last general election, said party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said the action to sue these defectors were made by the party’s political bureau and supreme council.

“Legal action is taken against all former Umno leaders who won their respective parliamentary seats under the party ticket in the last general election.

“The decision was agreed even when deputy president Mohamad Hasan was carrying out the duties of the president.

“This is a collective decision made by the party, and not an individual decision,” he told reporters after officiating Petaling Jaya Umno division meeting.

The Malaysian Insight last Wednesday reported that a writ of summons was filed by Umno and Barisan Nasional against its former lawmakers Mustapa Mohamed (Jeli), Hamzah Zainudin (Larut) and Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (Tanah Merah) for joining Bersatu.

Court papers showed that the legal action against the three lawmakers was brought by Umno executive secretary Mohd Sumali Reduan on behalf of the Malay party and Abu Khamis on behalf of Barisan Nasional.

The suit sought from the court a declaration that there had been a breach of trust between the plaintiffs and the defendants and that the MPs have been unjustly enriched in the process.

It also sought compensation of RM200,000 from each defendant to Umno.

Earlier this year, a total of six Umno MPs defected to Bersatu. They were former minister Hamzah, Ikmal, Abdul Latif Ahmad (Mersing), Shabudin Yahaya (Tasek Gelugor), Mohd Fasiah Mohd Fakeh (Sabak Bernam) and Rosol Wahid (Hulu Terengganu).

Senior Umno leader Mustapa left Umno last year and eventually joined Bersatu. Also defected were Bagan Serai MP Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali and Masjid Tanah MP Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.

Umno lost a handful of MPs in Sabah when they defected to Bersatu. – August 18, 2019.