Faisal, who is press secretary to federal territories minister Annuar Musa, was issued a show-cause letter by the party last month for openly criticising party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan confirmed that one person was suspended by the Supreme Council on a recommendation by the disciplinary board. He did not name the person but said the suspension is for six years.

“It is not proper for the person to get the information from the media. A letter has been sent,” he told reporters after the Supreme Council meeting tonight.

Faisal was named by Utusan Online in a report this evening quoting Umno’s election director Tajuddin Abdul Rahman. However, Tajuddin similarly did not name the person.

Faisal had accused Zahid of losing his credibility and betraying the party after Annuar claimed that the Umno president had sent a letter to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in support of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to be prime minister.

The letter was said to have gone against Umno’s policy of “No Anwar, no DAP”. It surfaced amid rising tensions between Umno and PPBM.

There has been widespread speculation about the suspension of at least one more Umno leader, a move to ensure that members toe the party line as political fever heats up between PPBM and Umno.