Saifuddin said he had just returned from the Philippines and had not spoken to anyone about the letter, the contents of which were revealed by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Saturday.

“I have just returned from abroad. I have yet to see it. Give me a chance to read the letter,” he told reporters outside the Penang state assembly.

Saifuddin said it would only be “fair” to allow him to speak to the ministry’s secretary-general and his officers first before commenting on the matter.

“I am not going to speculate further.”

Two days ago, Zahid said that the Registrar of Societies (RoS) had cleared Umno of any wrongdoing after the party had approved a no-contest motion for the presidency and deputy presidency at its general assembly in January.

Zahid said that Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan had received the letter, which was dated March 3, “to inform us of the minister’s decision on the motion”.

RoS comes under the home ministry’s purview.

Zahid said according to the letter, the home ministry had exempted the party from complying with a section in the Societies Act 1966.

Last month, it was reported that RoS was investigating a possible violation of the party’s constitution after the motion was approved at its general assembly.

The investigation came about after two Umno members lodged a report with RoS claiming that the tabling of the motion at the general assembly had breached Article 10 of the party’s constitution.

They insisted that it had to be tabled two weeks before the general assembly or within seven days if tabled by the Supreme Council.