In a short video clip posted on his social media accounts, the former defence minister said he would seek guidance from Umno grassroots members in his Sembrong constituency to decide what to do next.

“What happened to me has not dampened my spirit to fight for our religion, race and country. This is not the end, but merely a beginning, a new beginning,” he said.

Hishammuddin was suspended last night along with former party information chief Shahril Hamdan, Tebrau Umno division leader Maulizan Bujang and former Jempol MP Salim Sharif for six years.

Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and former Selangor Umno chief Noh Omar were sacked for breaching party discipline during the 15th general election.

Five Umno members from Pasir Gudang, nine from Putrajaya, two from Tanjong Karang and 26 from Pahang were also sacked.

There has been no official explanation on the party’s action.

Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi had claimed that Hishammuddin frequently went behind the party’s back in making overtures to Perikatan Nasional, in explaining a likely reason why he was suspended.

Puad also claimed that Hishammuddin was behind several Barisan Nasional MPs signing statutory declarations backing Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister after the general election.