WITH dwindling Malay support and looming electoral battles ahead, Umno stands at a political and moral crossroads.
The possible return of high-profile expelled and suspended leaders— Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan—has reignited debate within the party over whether it should prioritise political survival or uphold party discipline.
All three figures were sidelined following Umno’s catastrophic showing in the 2022 general election, which left the party with its lowest number of parliamentary seats in history.
Today, as Perikatan Nasional (PN) tightens its grip on the Malay electorate, voices within Umno are calling for a rethink—if the trio are willing to formally appeal for reinstatement.
“They are well-educated, experienced and influential, especially on Keluar Sekejap podcast,” Kuala Lumpur Umno Youth grassroots leader Mohammad Rajaie Abdul Halim told The Straits Times. “Their return could help us secure up to 50 parliamentary seats in the next general election.”
Khairy and Shahril co-host ‘Keluar Sekejap’, a popular weekly political podcast with wide reach among younger, urban Malay voters. Hishammuddin remains influential in his Sembrong stronghold in Johor, where over 450 delegates recently passed a motion urging his reinstatement. Yet, he has thus far refused to appeal.
“Until today, I have not been officially and clearly told what exactly I did wrong… I was never called to provide an explanation or defend myself,” he said in a video on Instagram dated 1 July.
His defiance complicates matters for the party’s Supreme Council, which had earlier suggested it might consider appeals from members facing six-year suspensions—under which both Hishammuddin and Shahril fall—but stopped short of offering automatic reinstatement.
“He has strong support among voters, including the youth. Umno should leverage that strength,” argued Abdul Ghani Abdul Rashid, head of the Sembrong division.
Yet not all within the party are convinced. President Zahid Hamidi downplayed the issue, calling it “not that important”.
A close associate went further, accusing Hishammuddin of betrayal for backing PN chief Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister via statutory declaration following the 2022 polls. “Every Umno member knows about his betrayal… Are we supposed to roll out the red carpet to welcome him back?”
Others within Umno take a more conciliatory view. Johor-based party leader Bastien Onn defended Hishammuddin, arguing he never left the party or joined PN. “The suspension was imposed without due process. Umno should not close its doors while other parties remain open for him.”
Khairy, once widely viewed as a prime minister-in-waiting, is reportedly open to rejoining Umno by the end of 2025, though he too has yet to file an appeal. “It has been made clear both Zahid and 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 a source familiar with ongoing discussions.
Shahril has remained silent on any intention to return.
Observers suggest the debate reflects a deeper existential dilemma. “Umno is willing to ‘lick its own spit’,” said Professor Kartini Aboo Talib of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. “However, requesting them to write an appeal is a bit too much; it is not going to happen.”
Even so, some in the party insist that discipline must prevail. “If he is sincere, he should apologise to all party members,” said Rajaie. “Everyone makes mistakes – and everyone deserves a second chance.”
With just 26 MPs compared to PN’s 68 and increasing pressure to reclaim its influence in the Malay heartland, Umno’s next steps could shape not only its internal coherence but its very prospects at the ballot box.
Whether it welcomes back its estranged figures or stands firm on discipline may determine its fate ahead of the next general election, due by February 2028. - July 5, 2025
