Apandi said his decision was due to the party leadership’s interference over a disciplinary complaint involving former vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein.

“The leadership can keep their respective posts. I shall keep my dignity and integrity,” he told FMT in a text message.

Hishammuddin was summoned on Dec 16 over complaints that he breached party ethics and constitution.

The complaint was related to Hishammuddin’s presence together with about two dozen MPs from Barisan Nasional at a dinner meeting hosted by Mohamed Azmin Ali on Nov 18, which was speculated as an attempt by the PKR deputy president to gather parliamentary firepower to thwart any attempt to force out Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Last week, FMT quoted an Umno insider as saying that secretary-general Annuar Musa had asked Apandi to withdraw the summons to Hishammuddin.

Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam had accused Hishammuddin of having betrayed the people by being part of the meeting with Azmin.

But support for Hishammuddin came from party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who had said the meeting was to discuss the channelling of government projects to constituencies held by Umno.