The Rumah Bangsa initiative to welcome members back to UMNO has received a very encouraging response, says party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

BAGAN DATUK: Applications to join the UMNO initiative Rumah Bangsa have received a very strong response, according to party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. The Deputy Prime Minister stated that all applications to join the committee, chaired by Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, must be made formally to avoid future issues.

“The response is very encouraging, very good, especially in conjunction with the month of Ramadan,” he said. He expressed belief that UMNO would flourish with the emergence of “new brothers” wishing to rejoin the party.

Ahmad Zahid made these remarks after attending an Ihya Ramadan programme in his Bagan Datuk constituency. He had previously announced that UMNO was opening its doors to former members who had been expelled or suspended to return under the Rumah Bangsa initiative.

READ MORE: UMNO’s ‘Rumah Bangsa’ open to all who wish to join the party, says Zambry

The initiative is also open to any individual wishing to join UMNO’s struggle. When asked specifically about former UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin’s intention to rejoin, Ahmad Zahid confirmed they had met several times.

“UMNO has no problem accepting anyone who wants to return without any conditions,” he stated. Meanwhile, UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Mohd Razlan Muhammad Rafii said the party could shine again if major Malay parties unite ahead of GE16.

He said Ahmad Zahid’s call for members to return to the “Rumah Bangsa” without conditions was something the Malay community had long awaited. Mohd Razlan warned the community to learn from other countries where indigenous political power eroded due to division.

He made these comments at a Sinar Ramadan programme in Sungai Besar, Selangor. Earlier, he had distributed 500 new copies of the Quran to 40 mosques and surau in the Sabak Bernam area.

 The Sun Malaysia