PUTRAJAYA, MALYAYSIA - Umno will decide on Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's return to the party, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

The party president said the matter must be discussed and decided by Umno as "this is a party matter".

'We have not discussed the subject. My views on this alone is not enough,' he said when asked to comment on a report that the former prime minister had agreed to rejoin Umno after leaving the party in May.

The report quoted party vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as saying that Dr Mahathir had expressed his interest to return to the party.

However, according to Muhyiddin, Dr Mahathir was unsure whether his application would be accepted by the supreme council.

Umno secretary-general Datuk Tengku Adnan Mansor said the party had yet to discuss the former president's return as he had not made a formal application.

'So far, all we have is Muhyiddin's words,' he said.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim described himself as "the happiest person" as Dr Mahathir was planning to return to Umno.

'Tun (Dr Mahathir) plays an important role in the party. His views will give certain perspective over issues and I'm sure that his return will bring about a positive impact,' he said.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad, considered to be Dr Mahathir's biggest critic, said that as a Malay, the former PM had every right to rejoin the party.

'My principle is that Umno belongs to everyone and everyone should have the right to join Umno,' he said.

Asked if this meant that Dr Mahathir could continue to criticise Abdullah's leadership from within the party, Shahrir said that being critical and vocal of the Prime Minister had never been a "condition" against joining Umno.

In Bagan Serai, Perak Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Tajol Rosli Ghazali likened Dr Mahathir's decision to leave Umno but to return later as mending a broken marriage.

'It's like a short-term divorce but now both are back on good terms,' he told reporters yesterday.

'We hope that Dr Mahathir and Abdullah can play their roles to strengthen Umno and Barisan Nasional,' he said. -- The Star