Comedians Afdlin Shauki Aksan and Harun Salim Bachik, who kept the audience in stitches with their sketches in the just concluded 'Maharaja Lawak Mega' competition, joined Umno today.

For Afdlin Shauki, who admitted that he is an Umno supporter all the while, he joined the party out of his admiration for Najib Abdul Razak's leadership.

"I am impressed with the transformations brought by the prime minister.

"So I decided to join Umno and indirectly contribute my energy and ideas for the development of the country and entertainment industry," said Afdlin Shauki.

The duo, Afdlin Shauki, 40, Seniman president Harun or his real name Haron Aminar Rashid Salim, 52, who finished runners-up in the comedy competition, handed in their membership forms to Umno executive secretary Ab Rauf Yusoh in Kuala Lumpur today.

Asked whether he is worried about losing fans after joining Umno, Adflin Shauki said: "I am still like before, a comedian, a director and a singer even though I have become an Umno member.

"I have been supporting the ruling party but only now I make known my stand."

Harun said fans should evaluate their works and not because they were now Umno members.

"I hope this will not be politicised because we are sincere in becoming Umno members.

"What we do today is out of awareness on our responsibility as citizens and we hope we will be able to help develop the country and the entertainment industry.

"If we are accused of joining Umno to earn more money, it's totally wrong because everything is determined by God not because of Umno," he said.

Meanwhile, Ab Rauf said Afdlin Shauki and Harun joined the Umno Dataran Merdeka branch in the Bukit Bintang division, which has 40 members, including artists Jins Shamsudin and Jamal Abdillah.

- Bernama