KJ, Hisham can return if they prove commitment, says Zahid

KJ, Hisham can return if they prove commitment, says Zahid

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi thinks the party’s Supreme Council will not reject applications by sacked or suspended members if they show remorse. (Bernama pic)

SHAH ALAM: Umno is open to welcoming back sacked or suspended members like Khairy Jamaluddin and Hishammuddin Hussein if they prove their commitment to the party, says party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Zahid said former Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, whose six-year suspension was lifted on Monday, had sent four appeal letters to have his membership reinstated, supported the party at the Nenggiri and Mahkota by-elections, and attended the recent Umno general assembly.

“If other affected members take the same steps as Tajuddin, I don’t see why the Umno Supreme Council would reject them,” he said when asked if the party is ready to take Khairy and Hishammuddin back.

Several months after the last general election in November 2022, Umno sacked former Rembau MP Khairy and slapped six-year suspensions on Hishammuddin, former information chief Shahril Hamdan, former Johor executive councillor Maulizan Bujang and former Jempol MP Salim Sharif for breaching party discipline.

Zahid was speaking to the media after the Selangor BN convention at the Shah Alam Convention Centre.

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Tajuddin, who was an Umno Supreme Council member for 15 years and the Pasir Salak Umno chief for 18 years, was suspended in 2022 for publicly criticising Zahid’s leadership after his removal as a Supreme Council member in June of that year.

In January 2023, the Supreme Council sacked Khairy and Selangor Umno chief Noh Omar, and suspended former vice-president Hishammuddin, Shahril and the others.

Ahmad Maslan, who was Umno secretary-general at the time, said the individuals were penalised for violating party discipline during GE15, and that action was taken against them in line with the Umno constitution.

Addressing delegates at today’s convention, Zahid also reminded BN component parties not to wait for funds before carrying out work for their parties.

“We were very wealthy before the 2018 general election, but did we manage to form a government? Money isn’t everything, even though everything requires money,” he said

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“Ask PKR, ask Amanah – they are even poorer (compared to BN) to this day. Money is not the priority. Don’t use money as an excuse for not working.”

Zahid also said he had no interest in Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin’s proposal for all Malay and Bumiputera NGOs to form an umbrella body to consolidate efforts in advocating for the Bumiputera agenda.

Muhyiddin told the Bersatu general assembly yesterday that such organisations could more effectively promote the socio-economic development of Bumiputera individuals and families across Malaysia.

“I don’t want to get involved with any power-hungry leaders,” said Zahid when asked about Muhyiddin’s proposal.