He said their calls that Umno’s Supreme Council (MT) should have a say in the matter were unfair to him.

“When I wanted to go on leave they did not say it must be discussed by the MT.

“This is my right as the lawfully-elected president of Umno,” he said when opening the Tambun Umno annual general meeting here today.

Zahid returned to the post on June 30. Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan discharged the duties of the president while Zahid was on leave.

Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin was reported as saying that the MT should have been consulted about his (Zahid’s) return as president.

The Rembau MP said he disagreed with the opinion expressed by former prime minister and former Umno president Najib Razak that Zahid was free to return to the post without having to get the nod of the MT.

Najib is also facing a slew of charges for alleged criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering.

The Umno-led Barisan Nasional coalition lost in the 14th general election in May last year after having been in power in the country since independence in 1957.