KUALA LUMPUR: UMNO tonight called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate revelations made by former Attorney-General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas on political interference in the judiciary and security matters.

This call was among several matters discussed and agreed upon at UMNO's Supreme Council meeting that was also attended by Prime Minister and party vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Thomas had made these claims in his book My Story: Justice in the Wilderness published earlier this year.

UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said besides the RCI call, the party also called on the government to continue using the 'Malaysian Family' brand and refer itself as the Malaysian Government, and no longer as the Perikatan Nasional government.

"This is because this government is a loose political cooperation among Barisan Nasional (UMNO, MCA, MIC and PBRS), Perikatan Nasional (PPBM, PAS and STAR), GPS and PBS," Ahmad Zahid said in a statement issued after the meeting late tonight.

He said UMNO fully supports Ismail Sabri's appointment as Prime Minister, and the party will lend him its cooperation to ensure the government's administration is run smoothly.

"The new government must immediately focus its efforts on tackling the (COVID-19) pandemic and also the vaccination process in order to achieve herd immunity that will be able to reduce the risk of fatalities," he said.

Ahmad Zahid said UMNO must also pioneer institutional reform efforts on the various branches of government, including creating a more efficient Parliament, transparent and clean administration, political funding, anti-hopping laws and political interference in various institutions that uphold the rule of law.

The Supreme Council meeting, which began at 8.30 pm, was the first to be held after Ismail Sabri was sworn in as the ninth prime minister on Aug 21.

-- BERNAMA