No appeals received from sacked Umno members – Zahid

There were no appeals filed by any members or leaders expelled from the party after the last 15th general election, said Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Speaking at a press conference with top Umno leaders at the end of the party's annual general assembly, Zahid noted this was contrary to a number of appeals received from those whose memberships had been suspended.

"I haven't received any response from those who were expelled, and so they are not included in what I said," said Zahid when asked whether his openness to re-accept suspended members also extended to those who had been sacked.

Quizzed on the exact number of appeals being considered, Zahid said there were "many" but he was unable to disclose the actual figure.

"There are written appeals, and there are others (verbally) made through friends in the supreme council," he said.

Earlier, Zahid reaffirmed that the Umno supreme council, as the party's highest decision-making body, is open to considering any recommendations made by the party's disciplinary council that received the appeals.

"Only the supreme council can make a final decision on any actions to be taken, whether to issue warnings, suspensions or sackings," he added.

Earlier in his winding-up address, Zahid in an apparent address to those who were suspended said: "We want to see their actions, whether they are truly 'party men' or enemies from within".

"If they are truly 'party men', they won't go 'crowing' all over the place. If they love the party, then they must abide (by the party)," he said.

The Umno general assembly saw notable absence from prominent names who had been sacked after GE15 - including former Selangor Umno chief Noh Omar, former Ketereh MP Annuar Musa and former Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin.

While the two former Umno veterans have made their formal appearances on PN's stage, Khairy has so far remained coy but indicated that he would soon meet Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin over an offer to formally join the party. - Mkini