Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin has declared his intention to return to Umno, officially applying to rejoin the party roughly three years after he was sacked. In a social media post today, the former Umno Youth chief described the move as “coming home” and expressed his desire for the party to withdraw his dismissal.
He specifically requested that the party allow him to regain his original membership number. He addressed his appeal to the Umno president, the Supreme Council, and the Rumah Bangsa committee, which is an initiative tasked with overseeing efforts to unite the community and the party.
The former minister emphasized that his decision to return was not motivated by personal gain. Instead, he pledged to contribute his efforts to the party’s struggle as a regular member.
Formal application confirmed by leadership
Earlier today, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed that he had received the formal application during a meeting with the former minister yesterday. The president indicated that the request would be processed through the established party channels.
The application is set to be forwarded to the Rumah Bangsa committee for further action. This committee is currently chaired by Umno vice-president Khaled Nordin. This procedural step follows the party’s recent openness to considering the return of former members who were previously sacked or suspended.
The former three-term Rembau Member of Parliament was removed from the party in January 2023. The leadership cited a breach of party discipline during the 2022 general election (GE15) as the primary reason for his dismissal at that time.
Loyalty to the original struggle
Despite his removal, the former health minister revealed in 2024 that he had rejected multiple offers to join other political parties. He maintained that he still viewed himself fundamentally as an Umno member, despite the lack of an official party platform.
His interest in returning became more public earlier this month after the party leadership signaled that the doors were open for former members to return. This follows reports from last October suggesting that a potential return was being discussed following consultations with the party president.
Having held various ministerial portfolios during his tenure, his return as a regular member marks a significant development in the local political landscape. The final decision now rests with the party’s top leadership and the specialized membership committee.
