“It was a parting gift to the board,” Coalition of Branch Chiefs Malaysia (GKCM) Vice-President Rushdan Mohamed told FMT after the meeting held at the Putra World Trade Centre here.

GKCM is aligned to the pro-Dr Mahathir Mohamed faction.

Rushdan alleged that the board admitted it should be ashamed of the allegation, but kept mum afterwards.

He was called in today for setting Umno’s constitution booklet on fire last month in protest against the expulsion of former deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin and former Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir from the party.

The duo were sacked for breaching party discipline last month.

When questioned, Rushdan reiterated that he burnt the book as there was no use for it.

“I told the board that I wouldn’t have been called here today, if the Umno Supreme Council members had carried out their responsibilities, and put the nation’s interest above their leaders.”

He also claimed that GKCM members were starting to give up on Umno, and would now focus on protecting the country’s interests rather than the party.

This, he said, may lead to a majority of them jumping ship to the party which former prime minister Mahathir intends to form.

“Umno is a sinking ship, so the best thing to do now, is to look for a new ship where we can continue serving the people.”

GKCM have persistently spoken out against Umno President and Prime Minister Najib Razak, calling for his resignation following the controversies surrounding state-owned investment firm 1MDB.

Last week, the DoJ filed lawsuits saying that over US$3.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB.

The DoJ also alleged offences were committed over a four-year period and involved multiple individuals, including Malaysian officials and their associates, who conspired to fraudulently divert billions of dollars from 1MDB.

It specifically named Najib’s stepson Riza Aziz, Low Taek Jho (better known as Jho Low), and Abu Dhabi government officials Khadem al-Qubaisi and Mohamed Ahmed Badawy Al-Husseiny.