KUALA KANGSAR: Dr. Mahathir Mohamad will consider rejoining Umno – if Najib Razak is no longer head of the dominant political party.
Former prime minister Dr Mahathir gave reporters his response when asked about an offer by Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday.
“Tell him to get rid of Najib first, then I’ll think about it. Return the original Umno and I’ll consider it,” he said.
Earlier this year, Dr Mahathir formally left Umno, for the second time under one of his successors, after heading the party and being prime minister for 22 years from 1981-2003.
He left Umno in 2008 in protest against the policies of his immediate successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, although he did not resign, but formally resigned on Feb 29 after a campaign to oust Najib Razak, who had taken over in 2008.
It was the third time in his life that he had left Umno. In 1969, he was expelled after circulating a poison-pen letter against first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra.
Yesterday, Dr Mahathir openly campaigned for the opposition Pakatan Harapan and Amanah party candidate in the Sungai Besar parliamentary by-election, and did so again here for the Amanah candidate in Kuala Kangsar.
Ahmad Zahid had expressed regret at Dr Mahathir’s appearance at an opposition campaign event and said Umno would be willing to accept him back “if he does not stab us in the back”. However, Zahid said he believes Mahathir will not ask to return to Umno for the time being.
Today, Dr Mahathir attended a Citizen’s Declaration forum organized by NGO Selamatkan Malaysia at Taman Chandan Puteri, together with Amanah candidate Ahmad Termizi Ramli and former Wanita Umno information head Hamdiah Osman.
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