PETALING JAYA: Former Pasir Salak member of parliament (MP) Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman has called on Umno to lift his suspension to restore unity in Pasir Salak Umno.
In a letter to Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, which was sighted by news portal Free Malaysia Today (FMT), Tajuddin said the Umno Supreme Council's decision to suspend him was based on accusations made by "certain individuals" from the Umno Pasir Salak committee.
Tajuddin said some of the committee members had colluded with officials from Umno headquarters to kill his political career.
"I would like to make a request for the Umno Supreme Council to let me get justice and drop the suspension as soon as possible," he said.
Tajuddin was suspended for six years last October, although he downplayed it by claiming it was not a "death sentence".
His fall from grace came after he was critical of Umno following his removal as member of the party's Supreme Council last June. He did not do himself any favours when he called on Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to resign as Umno president after his removal.
Despite all that happened, he stressed that he would remain loyal to the party.
On Jan 5, Umno information chief Isham Jalil said the party had rejected Tajuddin's appeal against his suspension on disciplinary grounds.
In his letter, Tajuddin highlighted his love of the party and his desire in wanting the Pasir Salak parliamentary seat and two state seats in the constituency to remain under Umno-BN.
"I campaigned for the party, I even extended financial assistance to the party machinery, which exceeded RM1 million," he said.
In December, Tajuddin revealed that Pas had approached him to stand as a Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate to defend his Pasir Salak seat in the 15th General Election (GE15), but he declined.
"I have been with Umno for a long time. I joined Umno in 1975 when I was just 25 years old. From back then, right up until now, Umno has given me so much.
"I wouldn't have left Umno just because there was a problem with me not being nominated as a candidate in GE15. Like I said, I did receive offers. When my name was not listed, Pas did ask me to join them and become a PN candidate, but I did not," he said.