TUN Faisal Ismail Aziz believes that the six-year suspension of his Umno membership is to serve as a warning to those who dare criticise the party leadership.

The Putrajaya division deputy chief told The Malaysian Insight the party leadership had failed to explain the reason for the harsh decision.

“A six-year suspension was imposed on me but I was not involved in money politics, sabotaging the party or breaching party policies. This surely does invite speculation,” said the press secretary to Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa.

He said his suspension could well be intended to be a message to his boss, who is another vocal critic of party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

“it could be a warning to many members, not just to a leader who has voiced his opinions,” he said.

He said the actions of the party show that members are allowed to breach party polices but they may not contradict the party leadership.

Umno announced on the first day of its AGM that the party’s Supreme Council had agreed to suspend Faisal for six years, or two terms, starting March 27.

Faisal had recently faced the party’s disciplinary panel over his criticism of the president.

Faisal said he was shocked to learn the length of his suspension but was willing to give the party leaders the benefit of the doubt.

He said the Supreme Council members might not have read his explanation and had founded their decision to suspend him on the disciplinary panel’s report .

“I believe the party might have overlooked my explanation because if they really did go through the facts and the merit of my case, I wouldn’t be facing any action, what more a six year suspension,” he said.

Faisal said it was the Putrajaya division chief Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor who had filed the complaint against him.

“The one who lodged the complaint was the chief of my division. I have stated to the disciplinary board that there is an issue regarding locus standi, merit and motive against me,” he said.

“The division chief never called me to discuss the matter,” he added.

Faisal said he would appeal his suspension. If the appeal fails, he said he will find a platform to fight his cause.

Faisal and Annuar have openly slammed the president over supposed attempts to ditch the Bersatu partnership in favour of a link up with PKR led by Anwar Ibrahim.

In his closing speech at the Umno AGM on Sunday, Zahid lashed out at a certain minister in the party for not toeing the party line and choosing instead to support Bersatu and Muhyiddin Yassin.

Though Zahid did not name the member, it was clear he was referring to Annuar.

Annuar later responded with the statement that he was loyal to the party and that Zahid could have instructed him to quit his ministerial post instead of fighting with him.

At the weekend event, Zahid received the mandate he sought from the delegates to cut ties with Bersatu at any time, and for the party to stand alone in the general election under the Barisan Nasional banner. – March 30, 2021.