In the wake of the 15th general election, UMNO has seen significant shifts within its ranks, marked by the expulsion of several prominent leaders.
Recently, UMNO's Supreme Council member Jalaluddin Alias announced that the party is considering taking back sacked leaders who remain loyal to its cause. This move raises the question: will former UMNO Youth Leader and ex-Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, along with former UMNO Information Chief Shahril Hamdan, rejoin the party?
Khairy Jamaluddin, Isham Jalil and Noh Omar, were expelled from UMNO, along with other key figures like Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Shahril Hamdan, were suspended for 6 years during a "cleansing process" intended to remove those perceived as detrimental to the party’s unity and strength.
However, Jalaluddin stated that those who have demonstrated continued loyalty to UMNO and its principles might be offered a second chance to rejoin.
This announcement comes amidst Dato' Seri Zahid Hamidi's recent remarks aimed at Khairy Jamaluddin's podcast, "Keluar Sekejap" (Out Temporary). Zahid, UMNO’s President, mocked the podcast as "Out Forever," implying that Khairy’s influence and relevance have waned. Zahid criticized the podcast as an unsuitable platform for serious political discourse, suggesting that UMNO should instead leverage more mainstream social media channels like TikTok and Facebook to connect with the public and adapt to the evolving political landscape.
Despite Zahid’s jabs, the possibility of reconciliation within UMNO could signal a strategic shift. By welcoming back experienced leaders like Khairy and Shahril, UMNO might strengthen its internal cohesion and public image. Jalaluddin emphasized that the party’s previous purges were necessary but maintained that UMNO continues to thrive, with branches across states holding regular meetings and even forming new divisions to bolster membership.
As UMNO navigates its future, the potential return of leaders like Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan could be pivotal. Their re-entry would not only test the party's commitment to unity and reform but also reflect on UMNO’s broader strategy to reclaim its former influence and address Malaysia’s political challenges.
However, the key question is whether Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan will be invited or apply to rejoin UMNO, and if so, whether their applications will be accepted.
By: Kpost
Information Source:
Kpost is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact Newswav.