Umno sec-gen denies claims of interference in party probe against Hishammuddin

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 — Umno today denied claims of interference in the party’s disciplinary hearing against former vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa was responding to claims made by Tan Sri Apandi Ali, after the latter announced that he would be resigning as party disciplinary board chief after Hishammuddin’s hearing was postponed.

“It is stressed that there is no interference inside the process of proceeding of the disciplinary board.

“They are free to do their investigation and report to the party’s highest working committee,” he said in a statement today.

Annuar said he has spoken with Apandi who is currently overseas and admitted that there is some confusion over the matter that will be clarified when the latter returns to Malaysia.

He said Apandi is Umno disciplinary board chief as he has yet to receive any resignation letter from the former Attorney-General and will chair a future meeting of the board to clarify the matter.

“There are several confusion regarding the matter and this will be discussed when Tan Sri (Apandi) himself return to Kuala Lumpur.

“The confusions regarding the process and action by JKD (Disciplinary Board) will be clarified once the committee meets freely and chaired by Tan Sri Apandi Ali himself,” he said.

Apandi told Malay Mail on Thursday that he does not want to be blamed for the postponed hearing of Hishamuddin or be manipulated for the benefit of others.

Apandi lamented the sudden postponement of the disciplinary proceeding which should have taken place today after supreme council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam lodged a report over Hishammuddin’s purported clandestine November meeting between Umno MPs and PKR’s deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.

“I did not order the postponement [of the hearing]. There is something wrong here,” he told Malay Mail, but did not name who made the decision.

Lokman accused President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa of trying the sweep the case under the carpet and undermining the party’s disciplinary board that had the right to investigate the case during the Umno’s annual general meeting (AGM) earlier this month.