KUALA LUMPUR: Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has rallied behind the party's former information chief Shahril Sufian Hamdan, who was suspended from the party for six years on Friday.
In an Instagram story post, Khairy said: "This guy should have been the next Ketua Pemuda Umno (Umno Youth chief).
"But he was suspended without due process. For nothing," he said in the post, which was accompanied by a picture of him and Shahril.
On Friday, Umno sacked Khairy and Selangor Umno liaison committee chairman Tan Sri Noh Omar, and suspended several leaders, including Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Shahril for violating the party's constitution in the 15th General Election (GE15).
The party's secretary-general, Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, in a statement said Umno had also suspended Tebrau Umno chief Datuk Maulizan Bujang and Jempol Umno chief Datuk Seri Mohd Salim Shariff from the party for six years.
The party also sacked 26 members from the party's Pahang branch, nine from Putrajaya, five from Pasir Gudang and two from Tanjong Karang.
They were sacked for committing several offences, including contesting as independent candidates and helping candidates from the opposing parties in the polls.
Yesterday, Shahril said he was disappointed by the party's decision.
The party youth vice-chief said he did not receive any letter or was not asked to face the disciplinary board.
He also wondered how the party leadership came to such a decision.
Shahril said some people asked him to appeal the decision, but he felt there was no point to do so as the suspension was not done according to party procedures.