Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who was mentioned as one of the signatories of the Citizens' Declaration against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, said he did not support the move.

“I wasn't there, I didn't support either. I was in the dark,” he laughed.

He was asked about his absence at the signing of the Citizens' Declaration, attended by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and if he supported the campaign to remove Najib.

“This is a normal thing, isn't it? There are people who are against and there are people who are for (it). I am a member of Parliament. I will continue as an MP,” he said.

Meanwhile, Umno vice-president Shafie Apdal has expressed his support for the declaration even though he was not present at the event last Friday.

“I haven’t signed it. But, it is a good move. Yes, I support it,” he said at Parliament House after the opening of the 13th Parliament sitting.

He also said although he agreed that the Umno supreme council had the absolute right to sack suspended deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin and former Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir, the procedure needs to be conducted with fairness.

“We know that the supreme council has absolute power. (But there is a) process. You cannot be the one to investigate and make judgement and decide who to fill up (the vacancy)," he said.

He added that the party should refer the case to its disciplinary board.

“This is their (party's) right. But it needs to done fairly,” he said.