Zahid: No formal appeals received from any individual to rejoin Umno

New Straits Times

a day ago

BENTONG: Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party has not received any formal applications or appeal letters from individuals seeking to return to Umno, except for two former members of parliament whose reinstatements have been approved.
The two are Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman and Datuk Seri Mohd Salim Mohd Sharif, Zahid confirmed.
Zahid, who is also Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, said that he nevertheless respected the motion passed by the Sembrong Umno division calling on the party's top leadership to lift Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein's suspension without any condition.
"However, the matter has already been brought to the political bureau for discussion by the Johor Menteri Besar (Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi) in his capacity as the Johor Umno liaison committee chairman.
"For the record, the standard procedure requires individuals wishing to rejoin Umno to submit an official letter to the party's headquarters.
"I would also like to stress that I do not have absolute power to suspend membership, block individuals, or issue any warnings," he told reporters after attending the Bentong Umno division delegates' meeting here today.
Zahid added that all decisions related to such matters would be referred to and decided by the Umno Supreme Council.
"Umno has always upheld the values of goodwill and openness, as outlined since the leadership era of the late Datuk Onn Jaafar.
"If any individual has made mistakes in the past, it is up to the Supreme Council to make the appropriate assessments and decisions.
"We must avoid making judgments based on slander or narrow political sentiments," he said.
Commenting on discussions with the Sabah Chief Minister on the upcoming Sabah polls, Zahid said that during a meeting last week with Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, both parties agreed to proceed with negotiations to finalise cooperation between the involved parties.
"A special meeting is being arranged to discuss the allocation of seats suitable for contesting by Barisan Nasional (BN), Pakatan Harapan (PH), or other parties ahead of the 16th General Election.
"We must learn from previous state elections, where up to eight-cornered fights occurred, ultimately confusing voters and reducing chances of victory," he said.
He added that political cooperation must be based on strategy, current realities, and public sentiment - not merely party logos.
"Umno is also moving forward with a new approach, including content sharing through online media, strategic use of social media, and communication efforts that are closer to the people.
"We must progress further in our political thinking and not remain trapped in old narratives often played up by the opposition," he said.