KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 — Former Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz has not ruled out a return to active politics, saying he is ready to contest in the 16th General Election (GE16) if the party requires it.
Nazri, 72, who did not defend his Padang Rengas parliamentary seat in the 2022 general election, confirmed he is still active at the grassroots level, Berita Harian reported.
“I am still the Padang Rengas Umno division chief, so, we will see how it goes,” he said.
The former law minister held the Padang Rengas seat for six terms before stepping aside in GE15.
The seat, a long-time Barisan Nasional stronghold, was subsequently won by Perikatan Nasional.
Nazri’s latest remarks mark a shift from his position last year, when he told the New Straits Times he had no plans for a comeback, fearing he could “spoil” his political résumé by potentially losing.
Nazri concluded his tenure as Malaysia’s Ambassador to the United States in February of last year.
Warns against Muafakat Nasional revival before GE16
Separately, Nazri cautioned against Umno renewing its cooperation with PAS under the Muafakat Nasional banner before the next general election, warning it could be detrimental to the party’s future in the northern states.
He argued that a pre-election pact would effectively end Umno’s chances of reclaiming parliamentary seats in Kelantan, Kedah, Perlis, and Terengganu, where the party failed to win any seats in GE15.
“Cooperating with PAS before the election would mean Umno closes for good there,” he said.
“I see that cooperation can happen, but not now. In a battle, we must be smart in our strategy.”
