PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has announced that he will resume the leadership of Malaysia's former ruling party Umno.
The Umno president, who went on garden leave on Dec 18 last year, said this in a speech at a Hari Raya function in his Bagan Datuk constituency on Sunday (June 30).
"Today marks a year that I was elected - not appointed - by delegates across the nation. This is very significant and important to me.
"Therefore, I would like to announce that I am ending my leave today. Which means, from today onwards, I will continue my duties as the Umno president," he said.
Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan had taken over the reins at Umno when Ahmad Zahid, who is facing a total of 87 corruption charges, went on leave.
Ahmad Zahid had taken over the party presidency in May 2018 from former prime minister Najib Razak, who stepped down to take responsibility for Umno's defeat at the general election last year.
However Ahmad Zahid himself was pressured by his party colleagues to go on leave after 17 of Umno's 54 MPs left the party and he was charged with corruption and abuse of power relating to millions of ringgit.
