Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this was a gesture of appreciation to the Orang Asli community for helping Barisan Nasional win the recent Nenggiri by-election in Kelantan.

“We invite you to sit in the Supreme Council,” he said in closing the Umno general assembly at Menara Dato Onn here to the applause of delegates.

Ramli became Parliament’s first-ever Orang Asli Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker after being elected to the post in December 2022.

During the Nenggiri by-election last Saturday, the two-term Cameron Highlands MP was tasked with campaigning among the Orang Asli, who made up about 14% of the 20,259 voters there.