After meeting Dr M, Hisham probed by Umno disciplinary board

Umno's disciplinary board has confirmed that it is conducting a probe against Sembrong Umno chief Hishammuddin Hussein.

The disciplinary board chairperson Mohamed Apandi Ali told Malaysiakini that investigations were ongoing.

The former attorney-general declined to comment on why Hishammuddin was being investigated.

However, Malaysiakini understands that the former Umno vice-president is being probed for disciplinary breaches, including meeting with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Hishammuddin, together with PAS vice-president Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, and secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan, as well as GPS chief whip Fadillah Yusof, had met with Mahathir at the end of July.

Hishammuddin said there was nothing unusual about the meeting, while Mahathir said it was just a chit-chat.

The Sembrong MP's meeting with the prime minister, however, may have put him at odds with a party ruling on July 24, that only Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi can represent the party in any political negotiations.

Meanwhile, Apandi denied allegations that the disciplinary committee had been blocked by the top leadership from taking action against Hishammuddin.

"That is false information. Investigations are ongoing, and the disciplinary board is an independent body that is not subject to any orders from the party leadership.

"We are free from any influence or pressure," he said.

This is not the first time Hishammuddin has been in the party's bad books.

Last year, he was accused by insiders of engineering defections from Umno to Bersatu.

He denied these allegations. - Mkini