Second chance: Umno's door open to returnees

Umno supreme council member Jalaluddin Alias said the party is ready to accept leaders and members who were removed after the last general election.

The New Straits Times reported Jalaluddin as saying that a second chance will be given to leaders and members who remain loyal and still believe in the struggles championed by Umno, despite having had their membership revoked.

Top leaders who had their membership terminated included former ministers Khairy Jamaluddin, Noh Omar and former supreme council member Isham Jalil, while former minister Hishammuddin Hussein and ex-information chief Shahril Sufian Hamdan were suspended.

“In Negri Sembilan, the state Umno secretary and divisional secretaries have been instructed to vet and consider applications only from those who still demonstrate loyalty to and alignment with the party’s struggles.

“The ‘whitening’ (cleansing) process previously carried out by the party aimed to remove those who were no longer interested in Umno and believed the party would become weak,” he said at the launch of the party’s Amar Penghulu branch meeting last night.

Jalaluddin, who heads the Negri Sembilan Umno liaison committee, claimed that some of those who were removed from the party now want to return.

“Umno has gone through various trials and challenges and faced many problems. The uniqueness of the party is that when faced with problems, it adopted methods to overcome them,” he added.

Viral statement on 'open approach' to Malay agenda is fake - Umno

COMMENT | Can Umno make a comeback after wasting six years?

Umno axes former Senate deputy president who joined Bersatu

Umno committed to upholding unity govt, says Zahid

Najib house arrest: Umno supreme council leaves matter to Zahid

Zahid confident Umno members in KKB will support govt candidate