I refer to the Malaysiakini report Zaid: No intention to join any party now .

Audi alterum partum is one of the rules of natural justice. It literally means ‘hear the other side’. Courts of law hold such rules sacred and if there are violations of the rule, they will not hesitate to intervene and quash unjust decisions.

The Umno supreme council, in unanimously sacking Zaid Ibrahim, has provided a classic example of a violation of the rule.

Not only was Zaid not given the opportunity to be heard, but he is also in the dark as to what wrong he has committed.

It is trite law or perhaps basic common sense that before you sack a person, you must inform him of the offence..

Zaid, at his press conference, said that he does not even know why he was sacked. Certainly, it could not have been because he attended a dinner hosted by an opposition party.

Umno has a couple of hotshot lawyers in its midst - and one such personality is Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz who is fond of displaying his Lincoln Inn badge on his jacket. I can understand that he is proud to have been called to the Bar of Lincoln's Inn.

However, I am disappointed that a basic principle of natural justice could have escaped him at the Umno supreme council.

As the decision was said to be unanimous, it is reasonable to conclude that Nazri and other lawyers in the council must have agreed to sacking Zaid.

Since such a decision is blatantly and scandalously flawed, Zaid cannot even be bothered to appeal the decision. Can you blame him?