Pejuang president Mukhriz Mahathir has ruled out returning to Umno, saying the party is no longer what it once was.
“Absolutely not. I think Umno is far gone. It’s not the Umno we knew,” he said at a joint press conference here today with Muda acting president Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz.
Pejuang carries on Umno’s original fight
Mukhriz noted that many of Pejuang’s members previously belonged to Umno, adding that they champion the same cause the party once fought for.
“Pejuang’s members are hardcore fighters,” he said.
His remarks come after former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin recently expressed interest in returning to the party.
This followed a statement by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that the doors were open to former members who had been sacked or suspended.
Khairy, a former health minister, described the announcement as “a positive development” and an opportunity to reapply for membership on his “Keluar Sekejap” podcast.
Other former Umno members, such as senior PAS leader Annuar Musa and former Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil, have stated that they will not consider returning to the party.
Joint campaign targets MACC leadership
Mukhriz and Amira also announced that their parties would hold a joint nationwide campaign centred on the controversy surrounding Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Azam Baki.
Mukhriz said the campaign aims to ensure Azam’s contract is not extended and that he is replaced by someone from outside the agency.
“There are capable individuals in MACC, but we want an outsider to take over. The names can be discussed in Parliament, but we must make sure they do not come from the prime minister,” he said.
Outreach through social media and public engagement
Amira said the campaign would involve outreach efforts nationwide and online to explain the issue to the public.
“Many people on social media are asking for updates about what is happening. We will produce content on TikTok, X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube,” she said.
Amira added that the campaign would involve engagement with the public and civil society groups, and that Muda and Pejuang were reaching out to other organisations to join the campaign.
