Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi says party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi welcomes MPs who defected from Umno to Bersatu after the 2018 general election to return.
Puad notes that Zahid’s remark yesterday – Umno’s door is “not wide open yet not totally shut” – has been misconstrued by some.
Clarifying the Invitation
To Puad’s understanding, Zahid directed the statement at Bersatu MPs who were formerly in Umno but switched camps post-GE14.
“They are welcome to return to Umno, but there must be something agreed upon between them and Umno,” Puad said, without specifying the agreement’s details.
Warning Against Past Mistakes
Puad explained this in a Facebook post: “That’s what Zahid meant. If this happens without agreement, what occurred with Semangat 46 will repeat, and Bersatu will dissolve.”
He added this would not be impossible, as Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin has “lost control” of his party.
Bersatu’s Leadership Tensions
Puad’s comment appears to reference the leadership tussle between Muhyiddin and deputy Hamzah Zainudin, which led to the sacking of MPs Wan Saiful Wan Jan and Saifuddin Abdullah.
Bersatu was founded in 2016 by former Umno leaders including Muhyiddin, Mukhriz Mahathir and others.
Key Defectors Post-GE14
After Barisan Nasional lost power in GE14, Umno faced mass defections to Bersatu.
Those who switched included Hamzah Zainudin, Sabah Bersatu chief Ronald Kiandee, Wanita Bersatu chief Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, Hulu Terengganu MP Rosol Wahid and Tanah Merah MP Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz.
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