GE14 | Umno has sacked party veterans and former ministers Rafidah Aziz and Daim Zainuddin, but appeared to make a U-turn on its decision to terminate the membership of Rais Yatim, saying the latter is still under investigation.

Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor had this morning confirmed that he issued the directive to terminate all three from the party yesterday.

Tengku Adnan stressed that the termination letters were signed after he got a clear picture of the situation, adding he did not listen to "hearsay," and that it was in accordance to the party's constitution.

Later in the day, however, Tengku Adnan told The Star that only Rafidah and Daim were shown the door, while Rais was still being investigated, as "it is not clear if he has spoken up against the party".

Umno, he reportedly said, was still trying to determine if Rais was colluding with Harapan to derail BN's chances in the coming general election.

Earlier today, Tengku Adnan (photo) had told reporters that he immediately asked for a letter terminating Rafidah's Umno membership as well as those of Daim and Rais.

"I requested for a letter (of termination) to be sent to her (Rafidah) and she was terminated as an Umno member lah... Daim too, Rais too.

"We sent the letters as per the party (code of) ethics, in accordance with the party constitution," he said.

He said it was not fair that the former ministers were now pointing their fingers back at Umno.

"They have been with the party a long time. What saddens me is when they were with us, we supported them. Didn't they have problems before? They all had issues," he said.

'Without Umno, they wouldn't be who they are'

He added it appeared as though these veterans could no longer see if there was a better person beyond Dr Mahathir.

He also ventured that Rafidah, Daim and Rais wanted their memberships terminated, so that they could then say the party was not needed.

"I remind them that without Umno, they would not be what they are, and without Umno, without BN, our country wouldn't be this way," he said.

Tengku Adnan had recently warned that action can be taken against party veterans found campaigning for the opposition in the 14th general election. 

The trio have been openly critical of caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak and his BN-led administration, while both Rafidah and Daim have been campaigning for Pakatan Harapan and its chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Rafidah and Daim even appeared at a Harapan mega ceramah in Malacca last night.

The three were cabinet ministers during Mahathir's era, with Rafidah serving as international trade and industry minister and Daim as finance minister.

Rais held several portfolios throughout his career, including culture, arts and heritage minister, information minister and minister in the Prime Minister's Department.