BAGAN DATUK: Applications to join Rumah Bangsa have received a very encouraging response, says Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“Very encouraging and very good especially in conjunction with the month of Ramadan.
“I believe Umno will flourish as new brothers have emerged among those who wish to rejoin the party,” he said after attending the Ihya Ramadan programme for the Bagan Datuk parliamentary constituency.
However applications must be made formally to avoid problems in the future, he added.
The Umno president said this when asked on the response to join the party through the Rumah Bangsa initiative.
When asked on former youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin (pic) rejoining Umno, Ahmad Zahid said the former had expressed his wish several times.
“The party has no problem accepting anyone who wants to return,” the party president said.
Meanwhile, Khairy is hoping to return to the party via the Rumah Bangsa agenda.
The former minister, who was sacked from the party four years ago, said the Umno president’s statement on opening up a unifying door without conditions was a positive and noble development.
“The Umno president said the party will open a unifying door without conditions. With this invitation, I intend to return to Umno,” he said, Sinar Harian reported.
Khairy also directed his press secretary Raja Syahrir Raja Abu Bakar to prepare a draft application for this purpose.
In January 2023, Umno had, among others, sacked Khairy from the party.
Several party members were also sacked after they stood as independent candidates or supported other parties in the 15th General Election.
On Friday, Ahmad Zahid announced that Umno is ready to welcome back former members who had been removed from the party, stating that this invitation comes without any conditions.
The move, he said, aims to strengthen unity within the party and to forgive past differences, enabling the party to turn a new page and rebuild cohesion among its members.
