KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 — Although Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been openly critical of the Umno leadership, party vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he still hopes the senior leader would be able to attend the general assembly next month.

A report on The Star today said Dr Mahathir will be invited to the December 10 opening of the assembly and that according to Zahid, the invite will be sent to the former prime minister soon.

“I am very sure that the letter of invitation will go out soon but whether he accepts or not is for him to decide.

“The majority of Umno members still appreciate him but there is a line between respecting him and accepting his opinion, they are two different things,” the deputy prime minister told The Star in an interview.

Zahid also revealed during the interview that he paid a courtesy visit to Dr Mahathir three months ago, shortly after he was named deputy prime minister to replace Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Muhyiddin, who is Umno’s deputy president, was axed from the post along with several other critics of the administration, ostensibly over his criticism of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s handling of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) issue.

“I called on Dr Mahathir at his residence. I had called on him twice before that on other matters but this was a courtesy call to show my respect and to seek guidance as well as advice.

“He was very frank and I want to respect the difference in opinion. I think he appreciated my visit,” Zahid was quoted telling The Star.

On Muhyiddin, Zahid reportedly said that he has remained cordial with his predecessor and that he does not expect this to change during the Umno assembly.

On Tuesday, the Umno supreme council decided that in a break from tradition, this year’s wing assemblies will be opened by their respective heads instead of the party’s deputy president.

Muhyiddin has since criticised the decision to deprive him of the opportunity to address the assemblies, pointing out that he has for the past six years officiated the meets in his capacity as the party’s number two.

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has defended the move, however, claiming that the wing heads had been the ones who requested that they be allowed to open their own assemblies.

The Umno assembly will kick off next month with the Wanita, Youth and Puteri meets on December 8 and 9, followed by the parent body’s assembly from December 10 to 12.

Najib will deliver his presidential address on the first day of the main assembly.