KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 ― Former Gopeng Wanita Umno division chief Datuk Hamidah Osman said today she remains loyal to the party and its cause despite being sacked as a member.

She said her expulsion from the party has not changed her belief that Umno is the only party that fights for the Malay community.

“What I can say now is that whatever happens, even though I am no longer an Umno member, I remain committed to Umno's cause.

“It does not mean that I cannot remain loyal to Umno's cause just because I am no longer a member. Because Umno's struggle is the struggle for Malays,” she told Malay Mail Online when contacted this morning.

Last night, Hamidah said she will convene a press conference to respond to her sacking.

“For now I will reserve comment. But I will have a press conference in KL soon, and then I will respond to this,” she told Malay Mail Online last night.

Last night, Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced that the party has decided to sack Hamidah for breaking party rules.

Najib made the announcement in a brief press conference held at the Parliament building after a two-hour meeting with Umno supreme council members.

The Umno president did not provide further detail on the party’s reason for sacking Hamidah.

Hamidah has for several months been openly critical of Najib’s leadership, and has been reported saying that she hoped the prime minister and Umno president could see how the 1Malaysia Development Berhad controversy has affected public trust in Umno.

It was previously speculated that Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and vice-president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal would be among those facing disciplinary action from the party for criticising the party leadership.

According to their aides, the two leaders were unable to attend yesterday’s meeting because they are currently abroad.

In October, Umno secretary-general Datuk Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said that seven leaders who openly criticised the party will likely have their memberships and party posts suspended.

He also confirmed that some of the seven unnamed Umno leaders currently held party posts, and that the matter was currently being investigated by the party’s disciplinary board.

Tengku Adnan did not, however, reveal the names of these leaders.