Ismail Sabri: Umno ministers not meeting Zahid today

Umno officials have denied that an extraordinary meeting has been called today for a discussion between party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Umno ministers.

"This is fake. No such meeting has been called," said Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob (above), who is also a senior minister in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.

Umno executive secretary Mohd Sumali Reduan also gave a similar response when contacted by Malaysiakini this afternoon.

"There is no meeting. It's just a rumour," he said.

Malaysiakini had contacted the party officials after a news portal earlier today published an article claiming that Ismail had sent out an invitation to Umno leaders with ministerial posts to have a meeting with Zahid at 3pm. 

The meeting was purportedly set to take place at the party's headquarters in the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre.

The article also claimed that the news portal had contacted officers to several ministers, who said they did not know the purpose of the meeting but did not deny that it had been planned.

However, what Ismail and Sumali said were contradictory to what several party insiders told Malaysiakini. This includes a high ranking Umno official who is privy to top-level discussions.

One source claimed that there is indeed a meeting scheduled, but said that it is a closed-door discussion.

"There will also be no announcement or press releases issued after this meeting," said the source, who declined a request to provide further details including the meeting agenda.

Another source close to Zahid also claimed there was such an invitation, however, the source said he did not have details, as the meeting was purportedly called by a minister and not the party president.

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