Muhyiddin Yassin and Mukhriz Mahathir squandered the opportunities to make amends and this led to their sacking on Friday, said a senior Umno leader.

Umno supreme council member Mohamad Hasan said the party must take drastic action because it did not want the issue to divide the members.

"We should have acted long ago. Party president Najib Abdul Razak extended his hand of friendship in the last Umno general assembly but it was not accepted.

"So, do not blame the leadership, especially the Umno supreme council for unanimously sacking them," he told reporters after presenting financial aid to orphans, the elderly and residents of Kampung Siliau Baru, Rantau, today.

Mohamad said that having held senior positions in Umno, Muhyiddin and Mukhriz should have a better understanding of the party's rules.

"Organisations have rules that must be complied with and those who do not respect to the constitution and commit breach of discipline have to be sacked.

"It is unbecoming of them to sit at the same table with the Opposition to discredit the party's leadership and try to topple the government," he added.

Jempol MP and Felda chairperson Mohd Isa Samad (photo) said the leaders sacking was correct since they openly criticised the leadership and goverrnment.

"Their sacking is a reminder to others that we can have difference opinion but we cannot make it public as it will tarnish the image of the leadership," he said after a breaking of fast also attended by the Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir at Masjid Jamek Batu Kikir, Jempol yesterday.

'In cahoots with the enemy'

In KOTA KINABALU, the Kota Kinabalu Umno Youth division fully supported the decision to sack Muhyiddin and Mukhriz and suspend Mohd Shafie Apdal.

Its chief, Mohd Bahrin Abd Karim said the Umno supreme council decision was only reasonable in order to maintain the integrity of the party.

"No decisive action against members who sabotage the party will weaken Umno, the backbone of BN and the state govenrment," he told reporters after breaking fast with students of Pusat Pengajian Tahfiz Al-Quran As-Syatibiyah at Masjid Bandaran Kota Kinabalu, yesterday.

In BUKIT MERTAJAM, Penang Umno fully supported the decision to sack Muhyiddin and Mukhriz after they were found to have conspired with the opposition.

State Umno liaison committee chairperson Zainal Abidin Osman said they also accepted and understood why the Umno supreme council made the decision.

"The DAP is the political enemy of Umno and those who sit at the same table with the DAP are in cahoot with Umno's political enemies," he told reporters after chairing the state Umno liaison committee meeting today.

In Tawau, Sabah Umno liaison committee chairperson Musa Aman said the Umno supreme council decision was made after scrutinising the actions of Muhyiddin, Mukhriz and Shafie.

"The Umno supreme council decision was unanimous and was not done in haste. They showed complete disregard for the Umno interest and party discipline," he said after breaking fast with Umno Zon 4 in Tawau today.

- Bernama