KUALA LUMPUR: A recalcitrant Datuk Ahmad Ismail accepted the Umno supreme council's decision on him but maintained that he would not apologise over his allegedly racist remarks that had caused furore among Barisan Nasional component parties.

In fact, the three-year suspension which bars him from holding any party post did not stop the former Bukit Bendera division chief from taking another swipe at Gerakan leaders, especially its acting president, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.

He claimed that Koh and party vice-president Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan had blown the report, which appeared in a small column in a Chinese daily, out of proportion.

"We in the Bukit Bendera Umno division have given our full support to Gerakan and Koh over the past 18 years. This is the unique present which we have got from them.

"If you support Gerakan, this is what you would get from them," he sarcastically said in a 30-minute press conference after the Umno supreme council's three-hour emergency meeting yesterday.

Also present at the press conference were Umno secretary-general Datuk Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and some of Ahmad's supporters.

Ahmad remained defiant when asked if he was going to apologise or retract his statements.

"No way would I retract my statement as I did not commit any offence. Why should I apologise?"

Ahmad said 10 busloads of supporters from the division wanted to gather at the Umno headquarters at the Putra World Trade Centre but he had appealed to them not to do so.

"I urge all my supporters, Umno members in the Bukit Bendera division and all Malays in general to be patient and not resort to any action. This is not the end of the world.

"I accept this as something which has been fated by God.

"I will remain loyal to the party and will not leave Umno. Of course, I am sad but I will make a comeback in three years."

Ahmad said he realised it was not an easy task for party leaders to reach the decision.

"It is not only about Ahmad Ismail but the question of peace and stability in the country. This decision also shows that the party president and his deputy are not weak as claimed by some quarters.

"If they are weak, they would not dare take such a decision."

Ahmad also said he would tour the country to meet Umno divisional members and explain the issue to them as he was still an Umno member.

On whether he would appeal against the decision, Ahmad said there might be an appeal from the division or the state Umno.

When asked to comment on whether BN component parties were not happy with the Umno supreme council decision, Ahmad said: "What else do they want?"

He also said he left it to the police if they chose to take action against him under the Sedition Act 1948.