Tajuddin's suspension to be raised at top Umno meetings: Zahid

Former Umno Supreme Council member Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, who was suspended from the party in 2022, appears to have mended his ties with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

On top of several viral photographs showing the two embracing each other inside the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre, where Umno is having its annual general assembly, Zahid today indicated that he will consider Tajuddin’s appeal against his six-year membership suspension.

“I will bring (Tajuddin’s appeal) to the Umno management committee and supreme council meetings for a decision,” he told a press conference this afternoon.

The deputy prime minister was asked to comment on his meeting with Tajuddin yesterday, where the two Umno veterans were photographed having a cordial conversation before hugging each other.

According to a source close to Zahid’s office, the Umno president met with Tajuddin after seeing the former Pasir Salak MP standing outside Dewan Merdeka in the convention centre where the party was holding its main assembly.

Tajuddin could not enter the assembly hall due to his suspension but reportedly turned up because he “misses the party”.

It was understood that the relationship between the two politicians had turned sour after Tajuddin criticised the party and Zahid’s leadership.

In June 2022, the former Pasir Salak MP was slapped with a six-year suspension from Umno.

Tajuddin had also sent several appeal letters for his suspension to be lifted but there has been no response from the leadership.

In June this year, the Umno Veterans’ Club had urged the Umno supreme council to consider giving him a second chance.

All hands on deck for Mahkota

Meanwhile, commenting on the upcoming Mahkota state seat by-election in Johor, Zahid said parties in the coalition government will utilise a hybrid approach in their campaign.

This is the opposite of the party’s approach in the recent Nenggiri by-election in Kelantan, where DAP was asked to sit out from campaign activities.

According to Zahid, DAP will be helping Umno to campaign to certain segments of Chinese voters.

“Because about 35 percent of the 66,000 voters in Mahkota is from the Chinese community, this time we will utilise all parties within the unity government in mobilising our machinery.

“For that, certain segments will be assigned to DAP while some others will be for MCA (to campaign).

“There are also about 8,000 Indian voters there and for this, we will ask MIC to mobilise its team together with the Indian PKR members and leaders.

“We are really using the hybrid approach for this Mahkota by-election,” he said.

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