ALOR SETAR - Alor Setar Umno Division Chief Datuk Mohd Yusof Ismail said he has yet to receive official notification that he was suspended for six years by the party’s Supreme Council (MKT) on Friday.
However, he believed the decision on the suspension resulted from his frequent criticism of Umno President Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi which was made in private.
"Until now, no official notification has been made to me and I have not thought about whether to appeal the decision.
"I was only informed by a few of Umno’s friends in the MKT by phone calls last night,” he said in a statement today.
Yusof explained that he regretted the punishment and claimed that the punishment was seen as more severe than what was imposed to former Umno MKT member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam who criticised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
"I had criticised the President, but it was only made in the WhatsApp group of Umno Division Chiefs.
"Lokman criticized the Prime Minister more, but the punishment on him was not as severe as mine.
"I was never considered as in President’s camp, so for that reason, I say this is a signal to the Prime Minister for the 15th General Election (GE15) to be held immediately,” he said.
Yusof added that the matter was also a signal to the Prime Minister that if Dewan Rakyat was not dissolved immediately, then he would also be suspended.
"I haven’t thought about whether to appeal this decision, I will discuss this with the Prime Minister first and then think about further action,” he said.