PETALING JAYA: Several Umno leaders have welcomed Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's decision to rejoin the party.

Kedah Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the move would help strengthen the organisation.

"We have no objection if Tun decides to rejoin the party," he said in Alor Star yesterday.

Kubang Pasu Umno division chief Datuk Mohd Johari Baharom said it was up to the Umno supreme council to accept or reject Dr Mahathir's application to rejoin the party.

"I do not have any problem accepting Tun back in the division," he said.

Jitra Umno branch members want Dr Mahathir to return to the branch, which is the oldest in the Kubang Pasu division.

"Our members have been praying for his return since he quit the party on May 19. Our prayers have been answered."

The Tanjong Malay Association also welcomed Dr Mahathir's decisioin.

Its education bureau chief Mohd Said Mohd Nagoor told a press conference the timing was right.

"Things are getting very bad. Every day, we hear of religious and racial issues," he said.

Mohd Said also called on Umno to appoint Dr Mahathir as the party adviser.

Meanwhile, Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor, when met after the supreme council meeting yesterday in Kuala Lumpur, said the supreme council only learned of Dr Mahathir's intention from the press statement made by party vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

"I have not received anything yet but if he wants to come back - we didn't ask him to leave any way - he can still come back," he said.

Tengku Adnan added that the supreme council did not know of any private meeting between Dr Mahathir and the Umno leaders who persuaded him to return to Umno.