Umno MT To Decide On Re-entry Of Former Members Into Party - Najib

PUTRAJAYA, May 30 (Bernama) — Applications by former Umno members who wish to rejoin the party can only be decided by the Umno Supreme Council (MT), said Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Friday.

He said the decision to accept their re-admission could only be made by the MT at its meeting.

Their application forms would be received by the Umno headquarters which would process them, and the secretary-general would subsequently table them at the next Supreme Council meeting, he told reporters after closing the national-level water sports for the National Service (NS) Training Programme trainees at the Water Sports Complex, here.

Najib, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, said this when asked to comment on the applications by several former leaders of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) to join Umno this week.

Asked on the reaction of Umno members to this latest development, Najib said: “Some are agreeable while some are against it, but what is most important is not to be emotional about it but to evaluate whether it benefits the party or otherwise.”

“If we look at the opposition, they can accept all kinds of people into the party…people born in Melaka can become Chief Minister in another state. Even people contesting in the election on a borrowed party symbol can be accepted.

The opposition can do anything without any question being raised,” he said.

Najib said according to the Umno regulations, those who were expelled from the party could only rejoin the party after their applications were accepted by the MT.

Asked on the possibility of dissatisfacton among Umno members because some of the former leaders of the PKR had opposed Umno, he said probably there were some who were not happy, but Umno members must understand that as members of a political party, they must look at the interest of Umno as a whole.

“It’s true that they had once opposed us and they had probably said things that had angered party members, but now they have confessed that they regretted their action all this while and are willing to make amends and support Umno, and would contribute to efforts at strengthening the party and the ruling government.

“In the interest of the party, it is most appropriate for us to accept them into the party,” Najib added.

– BERNAMA