Muhyiddin questions Hamidah's expulsion

UMNO deputy president Tan Sri Muhyididn Yassin today questioned the expulsion of Gopeng Wanita UMNO division chief Datuk Hamidah Osman and the basis behind the move.

He also raised the issue of the process that led to her expulsion.

In his latest Facebook entry, Muhyiddin who quoted Hamidah’s statement that she was accused of attending an event with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, questioned if such an action was a disciplinary issue.

“I would like to ask, is attending a function with former UMNO president which is also attended by other UMNO leaders and members, a disciplinary matter?," he wrote.

“If it is a breach of discipline, then I think many other UMNO members will have to be stripped of their membership and UMNO will be left as a party that has lost many members and supporters,” he added.

Muhyiddin also questioned if Hamidah’s expulsion was done in accordance with the party’s constitution and the principal of due process of law as the UMNO leader had said that she was not called up by the disciplinary committee to explain herself.

“I don’t think a member can be expelled just by sending a show-cause letter without calling for her to enter her defence,” he said.

Earlier today, Hamidah at a press conference in Ipoh, said her expulsion was not fair and suspected that it was not ordered by the party's disciplinary committee.

At the event, Hamidah also called on UMNO president Datuk Seri Najib Razak not to put the party at stake.

“Sir, please don’t burn the country. If we burn, you burn with us,” she said.