UMNO’S political bureau has not threatened to sack Ismail Sabri Yaakob from the party if he fails to call the general election soon, party information chief Shahril Hamdan said today.

He said a news report that claimed that such an ultimatum was given to the prime minister during a recent meeting was not true, adding that it was the work of certain quarters who wanted to divide Umno.

“The media reports that there is an ultimatum and so on are completely false,” he said.

“This is the agenda of certain parties to divide Umno or portray as if the Umno leadership is fighting against each other. Don’t believe such reports.”

Shahril, who is also the economic adviser in the Prime Minister’s Office, said details of what had transpired at the meeting involving party’s grassroots leaders last week were confidential.

“News reports based on sources, which are merely sensational stories, should not be used as the basis for reporting news,” he said.

“The details of the discussion in the meeting are confidential. As office holders, we cannot divulge details.”

He told party members to only believe news released through the party’s official statement.

“But in this case, to be clear, there is no truth in the allegation that the political bureau had urged or warned the prime minister to call GE15 soon or face sacking,” he said, referring to the next general election.

Several media outlets had reported that pro-Najib Razak Umno leaders had given Ismail the ultimatum to either hold the general election as soon as possible or be dismissed from the party.

The report, citing “Umno and government sources”, claimed that the matter was made at a political bureau meeting, chaired by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, on Wednesday, a day after Najib failed in his final appeal to overturn the SRC International embezzlement conviction.

Najib is currently serve a 12-year sentence in Kajang Prison.

The media reports described the evening’s meeting as tense, with some raising their voices against Ismail, allegedly over his failure to assist or intervene in Najib’s appeal. – August 26, 2022.