Syed Rosli faces sack from UMNO: Zahid

UMNO member Syed Rosli Syed Harman Jamalullail will be sacked from the party if he stands as an independent candidate in the Kuala Kangsar by-election, said Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid, who is UMNO vice president and carrying out the duties of deputy president following the suspension of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin from the post, stressed that such punishment was spelt out in UMNO.

"He (Syed Rosli) wants to contest but in a democracy we cannot prevent this. But there is a price to pay when going against party policies and rules which is losing one's membership.

"It is the policy of UMNO's disciplinary board that whoever contests (in an election) but is not picked by the UMNO president and Barisan Nasional chairman will be sacked automatically," he said.

Ahmad Zahid was speaking to Malaysian journalists here Tuesday. The Deputy Prime Minister in on a working visit to Japan.

Syed Rosli was reported to have announced on social media that he will stand as an independent in the by-election because he was disappointed with the BN's decision on its candidate.

BN has picked Mastura Mohd Yazid, the widow of incumbent Kuala Kangsar MP Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad, as its candidate for the by-election.

Wan Mohammad Khair-il was killed in a helicopter crash in Sarawak on May 5. Sungai Besar MP Datuk Noriah Kasnon and four other people also died in the accident.

Nomination for both by-elections is on June 4 and polling on June 18.