Lawyer and Umno member Adnan Seman has opined that the party's supreme council has the authority to suspend Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as the party president.

In a statement today, Adnan said Umno's supreme council, the party's executive body, had on May 29, 2009, decided that any party member who was charged in court will be suspended from party duties until the case is cleared.

He said that this was recommended by the party's management committee and that the supreme council, under Najib Abdul Razak's leadership, had adopted it.

Adnan said Umno had set a precedent on April 16, 2009, by invoking Article 10.10 of the party constitution to remove Labuan division chief Suhaili Abdul Rahman from the supreme council after he was charged in court.

"Therefore, the supreme council has the authority to decide whether to remove or suspend Zahid as the party president, or not," said Adnan, who was BN's candidate for the Bandar Tun Razak parliamentary constituency during the May 9 elections.

Adnan said he had issued this statement in view of criticism against Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan for stating that the party may have to compel Zahid to take leave.

Prosecutors today laid 45 charges for graft, criminal breach of trust and money laundering against Zahid today.

Mohamad explained that the supreme council's decision to suspend leaders facing trial in 2009 was designed to protect the party's image.

He said Zahid's case must now be discussed by the management committee before being brought to the supreme council.