Disagree but don’t treat Umno as the enemy, says Khaled

2026-03-08 - 16:34

Umno vice-president Khaled Nordin said the Rumah Bangsa offer stemmed from the ‘awareness that Umno is the most important stronghold for the continuity of the Malay people’. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA: Disagreements and mistakes are common in large parties such as Umno, but should not be a reason to treat the party as an enemy, says party vice-president Khaled Nordin. He called for people to keep an open mind about the offer by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for former members to return to the party, saying it stemmed from the “awareness that Umno is not just a political movement, but the most important stronghold for the continuity of the Malay people”. “Umno is a great house that was established to protect the (Malay) people and help them progress. “Disagreements and mistakes are common in a big family, but they should not turn this house into something to be opposed,” Astro Awani reported Khaled as saying today. Yesterday, former Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil had criticised Zahid over the offer. He said Zahid should apologise to all former leaders who had been sacked or suspended from the party before offering to take them back into the party. “Apologise to them first before inviting them to rejoin Umno. There is no need to invite me. I have said several times that I will not join Umno so long as they continue to work with DAP,” he said in a Facebook post. On Friday, Zahid said the party’s doors are “unconditionally” open to former members, and that “all past mistakes and differences will be forgiven” in the spirit of Ramadan. He said the Rumah Bangsa task force, chaired by Khaled, would coordinate the re-entry process for former members wishing to return.