KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says both he and Khairy Jamaluddin made mistakes leading up to the former Umno youth chief's expulsion from the party.
"We must be brave enough to admit past mistakes. For Khairy, yes, I admit I made mistakes, but you also made errors," Ahmad Zahid said in his closing speech at Umno's 80th anniversary convention at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur on Saturday (May 2).
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Barisan Nasional chairman, said the party must learn from its weaknesses, embrace change and avoid internal divisions.
His remarks come weeks after Umno's supreme council agreed at a meeting in Melaka on April 17 to allow Khairy to return under the "Rumah Bangsa" initiative.
Party secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the council also agreed to readmit, without conditions, any of the 6,252 members who had been suspended, expelled or left the party.
In January 2023, Umno expelled Khairy and Tan Sri Noh Omar, while Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and three others were suspended for six years over alleged sabotage during the 15th General Election campaign.
Ahmad Zahid urged party members to regroup and prepare for upcoming political battles, calling for unity and resilience.
"I do not promise an easy path, nor a struggle free of challenges, but as long as I am entrusted, I will continue to sacrifice to carry on this legacy," he said.
