Returning to UMNO: Tun Mahathir's condition a mere excuse - Ahmad Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR: UMNO President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has described Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's statement stating his readiness to return to UMNO as depicting he has lost direction in fighting for his personal political interests after failing to become the seventh prime minister.

"The president of Parti Pribumi Bersatu (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) has sacked him. Pakatan Harapan no longer cares about him. The Perikatan Nasional (PN) too did not want to approve the registration of his new party.

"So, he needs to find another 'host' or at least go back to the 'old host' to continue to get the benefit of 'nutrition'," he said in a post on his Facebook, yesterday.

"Suddenly (on Wednesday), Tun Mahathir made the most drastic 'u-turn' to state that he still loves UMNO and is ready to return to UMNO.

"But supposedly on the condition that UMNO needs return to its struggle for race, country and religion.

"How do you suppose the supporters and leaders of Pejuang would feel when they hear Tun Mahathir's words? Hopefully there isn’t a cave near them," he said.

Ahmad Zahid, however, said Dr Mahathir's action by laying conditions to return (to UMNO) was a mere excuse.

"UMNO has never moved an inch from its struggle’s policy.

"It is just an argument or an excuse to justify his will to return to this sacred party," he said.

Ahmad Zahid added the history of 2018 has proven who actually no longer adhered to the policy of race, country and religion for the sake of self-political interests.

"The next question that arises is a big question of which group after group that came to ask him to do something due to their dissatisfaction with the UMNO leadership at that time?,” he asked.

On Wednesday, Dr Mahathir said he was ready to return to the UMNO fold if the party re-adheres to its initial policy to fight for race, country and religion.

"I can return to UMNO but with the 'rogues' (in the party), I am sorry I cannot work with them," he said.