He told FMT he felt victimised by such a severe punishment for “merely asking” party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to make a statutory declaration to deny allegations that he had backed Anwar Ibrahim’s bid to be the next prime minister.

A recent recording of a phone conversation said to be between Zahid and Anwar may add credence to Faisal’s claim.

His suspension was announced on March 27, a day before the Umno general assembly.

He said there were no grounds for the action for he had only given voice to a matter that needed to be raised. He had not slandered Zahid, he added.

He said  the decision made was not based on the facts of the case, adding that it was also not tabled at the Supreme Council Meeting according to the required procedures.

“The fact is a few interested parties were involved when deciding on my case by the party’s Supreme Council Meeting and also the management meeting.”

Faisal had also asked Zahid to explain whether Umno intended to work with DAP or Anwar and to lodge a police report and take legal action to defend himself against allegations that he was supporting Anwar.

“It was not open criticism,” he said in his latest interview with FMT.

He urged Umno to review the process of suspending a member from the party.

“It seems unfair that some have got away with lighter punishment for more serious crimes.

“Is my offence so great as to deserve a six-year suspension? It takes away my right as a member to contest in party elections,” he said.

Faisal, who is press secretary to federal territories minister Annuar Musa, also said he stood a chance to be the new Putrajaya Umno chief if Tengku Adnan Mansor were to step down due to his court cases.

“Were the interested parties at the meeting when the decision to suspend me was made? There could have been a lot of flaws in the way the decision was made.

“I appeal to the party to right the wrong, to correct mistakes in the way decisions are made.”

Media reports have claimed that Tengku Adnan intends to promote his son, Tengku Iqbal, to contest the Putrajaya seat in the next general election (GE15).