KUALA LUMPUR: Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the party had always kept its doors open to former leaders and members who wished to rejoin.
He said these former members were welcomed, as long as they fully embraced the party's philosophy, vision and mission.
"This (practice) is nothing new, as we had accepted many (former leaders and members) in the past.
"What is most important is for everyone to be together on the agenda to strengthen the party for the sake of the nation and rakyat," he told the New Straits Times.
Earlier today, party Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias had said Umno is ready to give a second chance and accept again leaders as well as members who were removed by the party after the 15th general-election.
This, Jalaluddin said, is because some of those who were removed from the party now want to return and become Umno members again after seeing the current state of the party.
Asyraf reminded former leaders and members against repeating past mistakes, particularly internal conflicts and creating fractions within the party, that disrupted the party's organisation and agenda.
He stressed that the party was established to serve the people and it must prioritise the public's interests over personal gains.
Since early last year, Umno has terminated the membership of a number of top leaders from the party, including former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, former Tanjong Karang member of Parliament Tan Sri Noh Omar and former Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil.
Umno has also suspended several leaders, including Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and former Umno information chief Shahril Sufian Hamdan.