SHAH ALAM: Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin announced that he hopes to return to the party via the Rumah Bangsa agenda.
Khairy, who was sacked from Umno four years ago, said that Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's recent statement as opening up a unifying door without conditions as a positive and noble development for him.
"There was a statement out on March 6 from the Umno president that the party will open a unifying door without conditions.
"Umno opened this Rumah Bangsa for any member who has been sacked or suspended," he was quoted saying by Sinar Harian.
"With this invitation, I have mention before that I intend to return to Umno," he said during his podcast Keluar Sekejap which was aired online on Friday.
In the recording, Khairy also directed his press secretary Raja Syahrir Raja Abu Bakar to prepare a draft application for this purpose.
Meanwhile in another video, former Umno Youth vice chief Shahril Hamdan said he appreciated and respected the sign shown by Umno president but he felt more comfortable to be outside the political sphere for the time being but did not rule out the possibility of returning one day.
"I appreciate and respect Ahmad Zahid's gesture but at the moment I am more conformable being outside of politics. Maybe one day later but not now," he added.
The full episode about Khairy and Shahril's views on rejoining Umno or not is expected to be aired on their social media platform on Saturday.
Previously Ahmad Zahid said that a Rumah Bangsa committee, which is headed by vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin was coordinating this process in accordance with the party's constitution.
He hoped that the process would be simplified and would be a unifying point to strengthen the party.
In January 2023, the party took a firm stand and sacked Khairy from the party.
At the same time, the membership of Sembromg Umno chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Shahril were both suspended.
Tebrau Umno chief Datuk Maulizan Bujang also had his membership suspended for six years.
Other members sacked included 26 members from Pahang, nine from Putrajaya, five from Pasir Gudang and two from Tanjung Karang.
They were sacked after they stood as independent candidates or supported other parties in the 15th General Election (GE15).
