Salim, a former Jempol Umno chairman, said he remains loyal and committed to Umno despite his six-year suspension from the party in January 2023 for allegedly breaching party discipline.

He said even though he is suspended from Umno and not holding any public office, he still supports his former party colleagues, especially those in the Jempol constituency.

“I leave it to the party leadership to re-evaluate my suspension,” he said, Berita Harian reported.

“If this is my fate in politics, I will accept it.”

Tajuddin was handed a six-year suspension in 2022 for publicly criticising Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s leadership before the 2022 general election, after he was removed as an Umno Supreme Council member in June of the same year.

Among the other Umno leaders who were handed six-year suspensions in January 2023 were former vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein, former information chief Shahril Hamdan, and former Johor executive councillor Maulizan Bujang

Former Selangor Umno chief Noh Omar and former Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin were also sacked in January 2023.

Yesterday, Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said his office had not received any appeals from Hishammuddin and Shahril for their suspension to be withdrawn.

Shahril and Hishammuddin previously said they would not appeal their suspension as the real reason for the action was not known.

The suspensions and sackings were said to be for breaching party discipline during GE15.