As of 5pm today, it was announced by the powerful Umno disciplinary committee that Mohd Ali Rustam has been barred from contesting for the position of deputy president in the ruling party.

At the same time, Khairy Jamaluddin, one of the three contestants for the position of Youth chief, was given a ‘stern warning' while Dr Mohd Khir Toyo was found not guilty of any wrongdoing.

What does this all mean? How should we interpret the ‘signals' which have been sent as a result of the announcement?