ISKANDAR PUTERI: Former Bersatu Supreme Council member Tan Sri Noh Omar has announced his return to Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN).
Noh said he was open to rejoining Umno after being impressed by the firm and consistent stance of Johor Umno in rejecting any cooperation with DAP.
"I respect the principles of Umno and BN here, especially after listening to the speech by caretaker Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, who is also the Johor BN chairman.
"That is why I have agreed to return to BN ahead of the Johor election," he told reporters after the Johor BN election machinery launch at the EduCity Indoor Stadium here today.
"I am also confident that in the next state election, Umno will maintain the same principles of not working with DAP," he added.
Noh also expressed hope that Umno would renew its cooperation with Pas to strengthen Malay political unity.
"If Umno and Pas can come together, they can form a government without needing other parties," he said.
Explaining his exit from Bersatu, Noh said the decision was made after he found that the party, led by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, did not respect the principles and decisions made by its Supreme Council.
"I saw a clear difference in principles between Bersatu and Umno. For example, the Bersatu Supreme Council decided not to take disciplinary action against members, but after the meeting, that decision was not respected, and action was still taken," he said.
"My struggle must be based on principles. I have always maintained that I do not agree with Umno working with DAP. Today, Johor Umno has declared the same stance, so I am returning to Umno and BN," he added.
He also said his departure from Bersatu was immediate and did not require a formal letter as he had already made a public declaration.
However, Noh declined to comment on the political position of his daughter, Nurul Syazwani Noh, the Permatang assemblyman who is also a Bersatu representative.
"She is still a Bersatu assemblyman for now, so we will wait and see," he said.
Noh, a former Umno Supreme Council member, has held several senior Cabinet positions, including the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister, Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister, and the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister.
He was expelled from Umno in January 2023 before later joining Bersatu.
Two other veteran Umno and BN political figures, Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, also returned to the party fold.
The announcement was made during the Johor BN election machinery launch.
Syed Hamid, who previously served as Defence Minister, Foreign Minister and Home Minister, had also served as the Kota Tinggi member of parliament.
Some 6,252 former Umno leaders and members across various levels have been readmitted into the party under the "Rumah Bangsa" initiative: - NST
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