Zahid told a press conference here that there were several individuals who had sabotaged the party in the 15th general election (GE15), adding that Khairy was “not important, individually”.

“As I said during the 2022 general assembly, we will be cleaning house, especially those who sabotaged the party and our GE15 candidates,” said Zahid.

He said the identities of the other Umno leaders and members who could be sacked or suspended would be revealed after the Supreme Council concluded its meeting tomorrow night.

“Please come to find out the list of those involved,” he told reporters.

During the party’s recent assembly, Khairy had claimed that “imported delegates” were being brought in so that the motion to ensure there was no contest for the top two posts in the upcoming Umno elections could be passed.

This was denied by Umno information chief Isham Jalil.

Khairy, the former Rembau MP, had previously criticised the move to bar contests for the top two Umno posts, saying it was “madness” and that it stifled democracy in the party.

Meanwhile, Zahid took Abdul Hadi Awang to task again for defending cash handouts during GE15, accusing his PAS counterpart of trying to twist the truth to deceive the public.

The deputy prime minister cited top graft buster Azam Baki, who had said that “sedekah” (almsgiving) or “contributions” were a bribe to voters, whether or not the voters solicited for it.

Hadi, the Marang MP, had said only GE15 candidates and their representatives were not allowed to give cash handouts during the election campaign.

He claimed that the cash handouts in three Terengganu constituencies several days before GE15 were done by “the public”, but did not specify who he was referring to.