KUALA LUMPUR: Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has been appointed an adviser to the party, according to a party source.
"It was done spontaneously to strengthen the party," said a top party leader who wished to remain anonymous.
The appointment was made during a meeting between the party’s top leadership.
It is understood that Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, and vice-presidents Datuk Seri Dr Khaled Nordin, Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail and Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani attended a special briefing with the president earlier Sunday (May 14) at the World Trade Centre.
ALSO READ : Umno polls: Ku Li returns as Gua Musang division chief
Tengku Razaleigh, the country's longest-serving MP, lost the Gua Musang parliamentary seat in the 15th General Election.
Tengku Razaleigh, or fondly known as Ku Li, who contested under Barisan Nasional, obtained 21,663 votes.
Perikatan Nasional candidate Mohd Azizi Abu Naim won the seat with 21,826 votes, a slim 163 difference.
Ku Li first contested in Gua Musang in 1974 when it was still known as the Ulu Kelantan constituency.