The ruling Umno has been flustered by the unexpected release of Anwar Ibrahim with members repeatedly querying whether the former deputy prime minister would be accepted back into the party.

At last Wednesday's cabinet meeting, ministers had quizzed Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on the rumoured 'deal' that the Umno leader had made with Anwar.

"They (cabinet ministers) wanted to know what deal I had made. They wanted to know because there was so much talk about it in the press," Abdullah was quoted as saying by Bernama .

Abdullah took pains to stress that no deal had been stitched with Anwar relating to his release or his future in the party which had ousted him as deputy leader in 1998.

"I have no plans to bring Anwar back into Umno. I explained this to them (cabinet ministers) because they wanted to know," he added.

"Why should I plan to take him back after he was freed? Anwar had opposed us. He is with the opposition. Why should I make any pact with him?"

Meeting with mentris besar

The menteris besar too had sought an explanation from Abdullah. The prime minister said he had clarified the matter at a meeting with the mentris besar after he tabled the 2005 budget in Parliament on Friday.

The next day, Abdullah again had to make clear his stand - he told grassroots leaders in a closed door meeting in Penang that Anwar would not be accepted back.

"Umno will not take Anwar back. Anwar has no place in Umno," a senior party leader, who is a state assemblyman, cited Abdullah as saying to the party's leaders at the gathering.

The official told AFP on condition of anonymity that Abdullah's message was important for party unity ahead of a meeting later this month. The party is due to hold its annual three-day gathering from Sept 23.

Since his release on Sept 2, Anwar had repeatedly said he "never considered" rejoining Umno and that his political future was with the opposition. But that did not quash rumours that he would return to Umno's fold.

He made this clear again through a statement yesterday from Germany where he is recuperating from a slipped disc surgery, reiterating his resolve to focus on unity for all in the interest of political stability and economic growth.

"I confirm Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's clarification that there is no pact between us.

"Nonetheless, I am aware of the existence of a few elements among Umno leaders and the media who deliberately chose to raise issues and make vicious allegations to create disharmony," he said.

Nothing to hide

Abdullah too was piqued by these "certain quarters" who were making "all sorts of allegations" against him relating to Anwar's release.

"I want to clarify that. I don't like this to go on and on and become an issue. That is not good as I have nothing to hide, why should I hide," said Abdullah.

"Why should I be planning to bring him back immediately upon his release? Anwar has been going against us and he is an opposition member. Why should Pak Lah make this deal?

"But if you are talking about Umno's decision, then Umno's decision must be made by Umno itself," he said.

Asked if the rumours about him making a deal with Anwar were to tarnish his name, Abdullah said, "they could be anything".

"I don't want to add to speculations, what the reasons may be, but on the basis of the argument they have been making, obviously these people wouldn't want me to do that. Obviously, they are saying that I should not do it, and that I shouldn't be doing it on behalf of Umno.

"This is a big issue... to be going around and making deals with someone who has been opposing Umno and now still wants to be in the opposition," he added.

Umno Youth press statement

On Saturday, Umno Youth released a press statement rejecting any move to bring Anwar back into the party.

Its assistant secretary, Ab Rauf Yusoh, said the whole country had experienced the effects of uncertainty and drastic business repercussion due to the reformasi movement and demonstrations which was led by Anwar after he was sacked from the government.

"Those who championed and accepted street demonstrations as a means to oppose the government do not have the credential to revive democracy in the name of reformasi and justice," he said.

Ab Rauf said Umno Youth will continue to give undivided support to Abdullah and his deputy, Najib Abdul Razak.

The Federal Court last Thursday overturned Anwar's sodomy conviction and set him free.

The court, which agreed unanimously Tuesday to review its own 2002 decision to reject Anwar's appeal in the corruption case has set this Wednesday to deliver its verdict after hearing arguments from both sides.

Anwar has already served the sentence for corruption, which alleged he abused his power to cover up allegations of sexual misconduct. But he is barred from entering politics until 2008 unless the conviction is overturned.

Anwar was heir-apparent to then-premier Mahathir Mohamad before being sacked on Sept 2, 1998 and later sentenced to a total of 15 years in jail on charges which he says were trumped up to prevent him challenging Mahathir for the premiership.