Sack me from Umno, ‘betrayed’ Rembia rep says in letter

Rembia assemblyperson Muhammad Jailani Khamis had requested the Umno disciplinary board to sack him after he was subjected to disciplinary actions by the board.

According to a letter of response to the party’s disciplinary board, as sighted by Malaysiakini, Jailani defended his presence at a Perikatan Nasional (PN) event last month on behalf of Muafakat Nasional NGO, insisting it was not to sabotage Umno.

He emphasised that he will not agree to follow a direction that leads to the division of the Malays, Muslims and bumiputera - as well as reject any cooperation with Pakatan Harapan and DAP.

“I don’t consider this act (attending the PN programme) to be sabotage, not only to Umno but to any party because I attended it on behalf of the chairperson (Annuar Musa) of the sponsor - Muafakat Nasional NGO - in Malacca.

“I was neither involved in being a speaker nor did I give a statement in public. I also did not humiliate any individual including making statements that could affect any political parties even during the campaign in the two incidents (I attended).

“So with humility, I ask the Umno disciplinary board to make a decision under provision 20.10 (D) (Umno constitution), which is to sack (me) from the party after it’s been confirmed by the supreme council and not any other punishment.

“I don’t want to embarrass Umno, I ask for my application to be accepted,” Jailani said in the letter.

The letter was submitted to the party’s disciplinary board at the Umno headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

“Don’t worry, this will not affect the integrity of the Malacca state government where there are 21 BN assemblypersons and seven Harapan assemblypersons.

“Losing one (seat) will not mean anything and it will not affect the structure of the Malacca state government,” he added.

On Aug 23, Jailani was reported to have been present at a high-profile PN event in Johor.

The event was to mark the start of PN's campaign for the Simpang Jeram and Pulai by-elections, taking place this Saturday (Sept 2).

At one point, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan informed the audience of Jailani's presence and described the latter as a "friend from Malacca".

According to The Star, Jailani said he attended the event on behalf of Muafakat Nasional, an NGO led by Annuar, who was former BN secretary-general.

Subsequently, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party would take action against Jailani.

Jailani was then slapped with a show-cause letter issued by the Umno disciplinary board on Aug 28, to explain his presence at the PN event.

However, he skipped the proceedings scheduled at 2.30pm yesterday, claiming to have been warded at a hospital in Malacca due to ill health.

Speaking to Malaysiakini, he said had provided a written explanation to the board.

"I could not go as I was supposed to get warded on Monday morning due to health reasons. The doctor had been telling me to get admitted for some time, and this was my last warning (to get admitted)," he was reported as saying.

‘DAP, Umno pact sinful’

Meanwhile, Jailani also questioned the promise that Zahid and the delegates made during the Umno general assembly that the party would not cooperate with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim or DAP.

However, he said, it’s rather unfortunate that the once political enemy of Umno is now the party’s “eternal lover”.

“I feel betrayed. It is now clear that the Umno leadership has turned its back on the survival of religion, race, and the country.

“It has given priority to the so-called party’s survival so that Umno can continue to govern the country and stay relevant in the nation’s political scene.

“This would not last, it’s sinful and not blessed by Allah,” he said.

Jailani also claimed that he had tried and succeeded in handing over the Malacca state government to Umno and BN in 2020, claiming that he saw the Malays and Muslim communities were being marginalised.

Jailani won the Rembia seat in 2018 on the PKR ticket but he left the party in 2020. He later joined Umno before the Malacca state election in 2021. - Mkini