“Shahril is irrelevant,” Zahid told reporters when asked to comment on his remarks.

Zahid had claimed that there were efforts by opposition MPs to persuade BN to quit the unity government and form a new administration.

He also claimed that he was offered the prime minister’s post, but turned it down as he did not want to betray his allies in the unity government.

Shahril had suggested that Zahid’s claims were a narrative meant to make him look like a hero for the unity government.

He also said that whether there was any truth to Zahid’s claims was irrelevant as the narrative he was pushing was more important.

Shahril was suspended from Umno for six years along with former party vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein and ex-Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman. Ex-Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin was sacked.

Tajuddin’s suspension was lifted after an appeal, but both Shahril and Hishammuddin said they did not intend to do the same.

Separately, Zahid said Umno had not received any applications from former members to return to the party. He said if such applications were made, they would be brought to the Umno Supreme Council for discussion.