KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 — Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has reportedly directed his barbs at Umno renegades who temporarily quit the party, saying he is not exactly looking forward to their return.
Although he did not name anyone, the Umno president said that he is currently focusing on strengthening the party — as it has now become “smaller” due to factionalism.
“My goal is to reunite [party members], those who left can do so for good. Those who ‘keluar sekejap’ can stay out forever.
“Whoever remains with the party must stay loyal, and they must put the party’s interest above their own,” he told a Buletin Utama podcast.
“Keluar Sekejap”, Malay for “briefly out”, is the name of a podcast by former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and former Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan.
Khairy was expelled from Umno, while the latter had resigned from the party.
Zahid’s remark now is a U-turn from November last year, when he said Khairy and others who were sacked or suspended from the party were welcome back in the fold so long as they can demonstrate their loyalty.
Zahid said Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman was a clear example of this, adding that the former Pasir Salak MP continued to turn up for party events and campaigns despite being suspended.
In response, Khairy had then said he did accept offers to join other political outfits as he was fundamentally loyal to the Malay nationalist party.
Khairy said he still saw himself as an Umno member despite his January 2023 sacking.
Khairy, former Tanjong Karang MP Tan Sri Noh Omar, and Isham Jalil were among those purged from Umno following the party’s internal election last year.
Shahril, Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, and several others were suspended for breaching party rules.
