Khairy said Wan Fayhsal was unfairly suspended without a chance to defend himself.

“I heard the speech by law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said, but he should have been referred to the committee, because that is why such a committee exists.

“If you get blamed for doing something wrong, is it fair to be sacked just like that? I don’t think it’s fair. Everyone has the right to defend themselves,” he said at press conference today.

Yesterday, Wan Fayhsal was suspended for six months for referencing a poison-pen letter claiming an EPF officer had actively pushed for the Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd privatisation deal with Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP).

The motion to suspend him was tabled by Azalina, who sent a letter to the Dewan Rakyat speaker referencing the July 1 speech in which Wan Fayhsal highlighted the viral social media post in question.

Azalina said Wan Fayhsal’s reference to the poison-pen letter during the debate on the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia’s (Suhakam) report had a detrimental effect on the alleged mastermind and unfairly jeopardised government officers.

GIP and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority are poised to take up a 30% stake in MAHB through a consortium led by sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd, which will own 40% of MAHB’s shareholding, and EPF, which will own 30%.