Sticking together: Ahmad Zahid (centre) with fellow Umno leaders posing for a picture after the closing of the Umno general assembly 2023 at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno members have mixed views over a call to allow colleagues who were sacked or suspended from the party to return to the fold.
Some believe this would be good for the party because the sacked or suspended members have yet to join other political movements.
Others, however, believe that Umno should move on and work to strengthen unity among its loyal members.
Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party had received appeals from several members who had been suspended.
“We will bring this up to the disciplinary board and they will look into this,” he said, adding that Umno was open to accepting those who had been suspended back into the party.
When asked if the same openness would also be extended to those who had been expelled, he said he had not received any appeal from any of them.
However, Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh said those sacked, particularly Khairy Jamaluddin, should return.
“I was listening to Khairy on the radio and he still loves Umno. This means there is still hope for him in Umno,” he said.
Umno Youth representative Mohd Kurniawan Naim Moktar called on the party leadership to stop further division and bring “home” those who were sacked and suspended.
He said those whom the party had axed still loved Umno and were still loyal to the party.
In January, Umno sacked former Youth chief Khairy and supreme council member Tan Sri Noh Omar, while former vice-president and Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein was slapped with a six-year suspension.
Former information chief Shahril Hamdan, former supreme council member Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, former Johor state exco member and Tebrau division chief Datuk Maulizan Bujang and former Jempol MP Datuk Seri Mohd Salim Mohd Shariff were also suspended for six years.
Sik division representative Azran Fitri Rahim said the return of the sacked and suspended members would be an advantage to the party and could help mend cracks caused by their sacking.
He said those members also have their own followers and by getting them back to Umno, the party would regain its support.
However, Batu division chief Gulam Muszaffar Gulam Mustakim said that it was better to take care of those who had remained loyal and steadfast.
“Let’s ignore them, there is no need for nostalgia. It does not matter if they want to leave temporarily or want to leave for good,” he said.
Wanita representative Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain said there was no need to invite those sacked back to the party.
When contacted, Noh said it would be impossible for Ahmad Zahid to accept the suggestion.
“Thank you, Umno Youth, for the suggestion, but I’m not sure if the president wants to accept it or not.
“Tajuddin made his appeal several times but there was no feedback from the president.
“It seems like the party belongs to Zahid alone because the Umno Youth can recommend or suggest anything, but in the end, it will depend on Zahid if he wants to do it or not,” said the former Tanjong Karang MP.
Tajuddin had said Umno’s top leaders must think of the party’s survival following the recommendation of the Umno Youth members.
He previously said that he was still loyal to the party and would remain steadfast in his stand until he returns to Umno.
