Latest news with #Hishammuddin
Focus Malaysia
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Akmal urges expelled leaders to set aside ego and rejoin party
UMNO Youth Chief Dr Akmal Saleh has urged suspended or expelled party leaders to put aside their egos if they still love UMNO, stressing the need for unity to strengthen the party. He said president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is open to appeals from them and offered to facilitate their return, naming Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Khairy Jamaluddin, and Shahril Hamdan. 'We need them (the suspended or expelled former leaders). As I said in my speech earlier, UMNO belongs to everyone and must be reunited. But with one condition: each of them must put their ego aside, love the party, and, God willing, UMNO will become stronger,' he said. Akmal emphasised UMNO is a family, and their past contributions cannot be forgotten. 'UMNO is a family for everyone. So, those who have faced disciplinary actions have contributions we cannot forget. 'That's why I said what is most important is UMNO's unity, and of course, this unity cannot happen from only one side,' he told reporters after officiating the Seremban UMNO Youth Division Conference on Friday (July 4). Several UMNO leaders have asked Hishammuddin to write an apology letter to the party leadership if he wishes to return. However, Hishammuddin said he did nothing wrong and sees no reason to apologise. He added that he never requested to return or have his suspension lifted; it was the Sembrong branch that proposed UMNO should bring him back. The conflict also attracted comments from Wanita UMNO's leader, Nurulhidayah Zahid, who then said, 'When it comes to filing an appeal, it's not kowtowing but a sign of responsibility to those who had used the platform to boost their names and struggles.' — July 5, 2025
Straits Times
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Malaysia's Umno may welcome back ousted members on appeal, to boost Malay votes; draws mixed views
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The reinstatement of former Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein has sparked heated discussion among its members. – The possible comeback of ousted Umno leaders to the party's fold – should they submit an appeal – has garnered split reactions within the once-dominant force, which has been trying to lift waning support from Malay voters and secure its chances in the next general election. In particular, the reinstatement of former Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein who was suspended in January 2023 for allegedly backing a rival candidate for prime minister after Umno suffered its heaviest political defeat in the 2022 election, has sparked heated discussion among its members. Others who could return to the fold include former information chief Shahril Hamdan and former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who were suspended and expelled from the party, respectively, after GE15 . The duo, including Datuk Seri Hishammuddin, 63, continue to wield significant influence among the Malay community. In what could be perceived as a tentative effort to extend an olive branch, the Umno supreme council – the party's top policymaking body – said on June 30 that it might consider appeals from party members who were suspended for six years, naming Mr Hishammuddin and Mr Shahril among those who fell under this category, according to party newsletter Umno Online . The rumour mill is also swirling with speculation that the trio may return to Umno, as the party seeks to regain its footing and counter the opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional's (PN) growing influence among ethnic Malay voters. Umno currently holds 26 parliamentary seats and 109 state assembly seats – significantly fewer than PN's 68 MPs and 208 state representatives, who dominate the Malay heartland. Currently , in the 31-member Cabinet, Umno holds six ministerial positions, followed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) with five ministers. PKR anchors Malaysia's multi-coalition government that has been in power for 2½ years, helmed by Datuk Seri Anwar who is also Finance Minister. Some within Umno believe that the ousted trio's return could help the party win over swing voters, particularly Malay urbanites. Umno Youth grassroot s leader from Kuala Lumpur, Mohammad Rajaie Abdul Halim, 30, supports the party's attempt to welcome back this exiled group. He told The Straits Times: 'They are well-educated, experienced and influential, especially on Keluar Sekejap podcast. Their return could help us secure up to 50 parliamentary seats in the next general election which must be held by February 2028. 'Otherwise, Umno risks being seen as a dinosaur party that sidelines its younger generation.' Mr Khairy, 49, who was the former Umno Youth chief, and Mr Shahril, 39, currently co-host the popular weekly political podcast Keluar Sekejap. It has over 375,000 YouTube subscribers as of July 3, following their departure from Umno in January 2023. Mr Khairy, whose name continues to be bandied about as a potential future prime minister candidate, has also been in talks to rejoin Umno at the end of 2025, according to a source privy to the situation. 'So, I will wait if one day... by mutual agreement, the Umno Supreme Council accepts back expelled members,' he had told the Malay-language daily Sinar Harian in May . Mr Hishammuddin is the grandson of Umno's first president Dato Onn Jaafar. He held several senior ministerial portfolios – defence, home affairs and education – prior to his suspension. On June 21, more than 450 delegates in Umno Sembrong division in Johor – where Mr Hishammuddin has been an MP since 2004 – passed a motion during a division meeting to reinstate his party membership. His current suspension is set to last until 2029. But the motion hit a snag as Mr Hishammuddin has yet to appeal his suspension from the party and has said he is unlikely to do so. 'Until today, I've not been officially and clearly told what exactly I did wrong... I was never called to provide an explanation or defend myself. I was not tried before the disciplinary committee,' he said in a video clip posted on Instagram on July 1, a day after the Umno supreme council meeting. Umno Sembrong chief Datuk Abdul Ghani Abdul Rashid, who had tabled the motion on behalf of the Sembrong delegates, hopes the party's supreme council will reinstate Mr Hishammuddin without requiring an appeal. 'He has strong support among voters, including the youth. Umno should leverage that strength,' Datuk Abdul Ghani told ST. Following Mr Hishammuddin's remarks, Umno president Zahid Hamidi said 'the issue (Hishammuddin's suspension) was not discussed' at the supreme council meeting. ' The matter is not that important.' A confidant of Datuk Seri Zahid said that Mr Hishammuddin still fails to acknowledge his central role in almost thwarting the Umno president's push for Mr Anwar to become PM following the 2022 electio n . Mr Hishammuddin, who was one of the 10 Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs who signed a statutory declaration supporting rival party Perikatan Nasional (PN) chief Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister, was labelled a 'traitor' by the party. Umno is the leading party in the BN coalition, which supports the current Anwar-led unity government. 'Every Umno member knows about his betrayal of the party. Mr Hishammuddin wants to return now because he sees the current government gradually stabilising. Are we supposed to roll out the red carpet to welcome him back?' the confidant told ST on condition of anonymity. Defending Mr Hishammuddin, Umno grassroot s leader Bastien Onn said the former vice-president had eventually followed Mr Zahid's directive to withdraw support for PN and toed the Umno party line to back Mr Anwar as premier. 'He never left the party or joined PN. Given his past contributions, the party leadership should reinstate his membership, especially since the suspension was imposed without due process. Umno should not close its doors while other parties remain open for him ,' Johor-based Datuk Bastien, 47, told ST. Likewise, Mr Khairy, who played a key role during Malaysia's successful Covid-19 vaccine rollout, might also find the need to appeal to return to Umno a bitter pill to swallo w. 'It's been made clear both (Umno chief) Mr Zahid and Mr Khairy are amenable to the latter's return, but the question is on what terms and whether his expulsion will be wiped off the slate,' said another source close to the matter, who declined to be named due to the confidentiality of the discussions. Mr Khairy has yet to formally appeal his sacking from Umno. Meanwhile, ST has contacted Mr Shahril for comment. Still, it could be a matter of who blinks first. Professor Kartini Aboo Talib said that Umno's openness to the possibility of welcoming back the trio shows the party is willing to bury the hatchet, overlook old hurts and prioritise victory in the next general election. 'As the three are popular among voters, Umno is willing to 'lick its own spit.' However, requesting them to write an appeal is a bit too much, it is not going to happen,' the deputy director at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Institute of Ethnic Studies told ST. And while Mr Rajaie from Kuala Lumpur Umno Youth hopes that Mr Hishammuddin can return to Umno, he believes it is also important that the former minister goes through the formal appeal process established by the party in order for his membership to be reinstated. ' If he is sincere, he should apologise to all party members... As a former party leader, he knows the proper appeal process. After all, everyone makes mistakes – and everyone deserves a second chance,' he said.
The Star
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
I will not appeal, says Hisham
PETALING JAYA: Submitting an appeal for his six-year suspension from Umno will go against his principles, says Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein. The former Umno vice-president said he first learnt about his suspension on Jan 27, 2023, through media reports and only received an official letter three days later. 'There was no explanation or reason given as to why I was suspended. Until now, I have not been told what my offence was,' he said on Instagram yesterday. Hishammuddin said he was not allowed to defend himself or given a fair hearing by the disciplinary committee. 'I did not appeal because I was not given proper due process, and I did not want to give up on my principles. This is not a matter of (my Umno) membership, not about status, not about position. It is a matter of principle, integrity, sincerity and justice.' It was reported on Monday that Umno would consider an appeal by any member subjected to party disciplinary action.
New Straits Times
01-07-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Hisham's suspension not discussed in meeting as it was not vital, says Zahid
BANGI: The Umno Supreme Council meeting last night did not discuss Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein's suspension. "The issue (Hishammuddin's suspension) was not discussed. The matter is not that important," said Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi after a roundtable session on the gig economy and industry. When asked about Hishammuddin's latest video on social media, which hinted that he would unlikely appeal his six-year suspension from the party, Zahid said he had not watched the video. "I haven't watched the video though I have been informed of it. When the time comes, I will bring the matter (Hishammuddin's suspension) to the Umno Supreme Council and let them decide," he said. The Sembrong Umno division had previously proposed that Hishammuddin's suspension be lifted, in line with efforts to strengthen the party at all levels ahead of the next general election. Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi had called on division leaders to focus on persuading Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to appeal his own suspension. Hishammuddin was suspended from Umno for six years, or two party election terms, effective Jan 27, 2023. On the roundtable, Zahid, who is also deputy prime minister and chairman of the high-level committee (HLC) for the establishment of the Gig Economy Commission (SEGiM), said Malaysia was leading the way in drafting laws for the gig economy. He said Malaysian Gig Economy Secretariat chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsuddin was currently in Switzerland to present how Malaysia drafted its Gig Workers Bill to the International Labour Organisation (ILO). "There are a few countries that are amending their laws for the gig economy, but in Malaysia, we are drafting a new Act. "Sharkar, who represents the Malaysian Gig Economy Secretariat, is in Geneva to present to the ILO, as they too want to learn from Malaysia's experience," he said. He said the Gig Workers Bill, which is expected to be tabled in the next Parliamentary sitting, is a crucial step in introducing a social protection framework for over 1.12 million Malaysians involved in the sector. He said the law would ensure fairness by balancing the welfare of gig workers with the efficiency and flexibility of digital platform operators. "SEGiM will be placed under the Prime Minister's Department to ensure integrated policy coordination at the national level. "MDEC will continue to serve as the technical secretariat, consolidating industry input and coordinating engagement sessions with the Human Resources Ministry, the Transport Ministry, and relevant agencies. "Our goal is clear, which is to strike a balance between industry interests and the welfare of gig workers while positioning the gig economy as a key driver of a more just, responsive, and sustainable national digital economy. "I am confident that with strong collaboration among all stakeholders, Malaysia can emerge as a leader in developing a resilient gig economy ecosystem centred on the wellbeing of its people," he said. Zahid added that it is important for gig workers to not only have job opportunities, but also upskilling and reskilling opportunities. Hence, it is to be included in the National TVET Council's agenda. "This is to provide a future for gig workers who want to transition into permanent employment or become self-employed entrepreneurs when techno-entrepreneurship training is provided by TVET institutions in collaboration with SEGiM and the Human Resources Ministry. "The experience gained in the gig economy can help them to either gain employment or become entrepreneurs as a means to earn additional or stable income," he said.
The Star
01-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Appealing Umno suspension would go against my principles, says Hishammuddin
PETALING JAYA: Appealing his six-year suspension from Umno would go against his principles, says Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein. The former party vice-president said that he first learnt about his suspension on Jan 27, 2023 through media reports and only received an official letter three days later. "There was no explanation or reason given as to why I was suspended. Until now, I have not been told what my offence was," he said on Instagram on Tuesday (July 1). Hishammuddin said that he was not allowed to defend himself or given a fair hearing by the disciplinary committee. "I did not appeal because I was not given proper due process and I did not want to give up on my principles. "This is not a matter of (my Umno) membership, not about status, not about position. It is a matter of principle, integrity, sincerity and justice. "Many think it is easy to just write a letter and appeal but my struggle so far is not just about regaining my membership, it is about holding on to values and principles that are not only mine but also of Umno leaders of the past," he said. It was reported on Monday (June 30) that Umno would consider an appeal submitted by any member subjected to party disciplinary action, in accordance with the party's constitution.
