Khairy, who sat in the front row between Nazri Aziz and Melaka Umno chief Ab Rauf Yusoh, appeared on the verge of tears as he stood and waved to Umno Youth delegates at the assembly.

In his speech, Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh hailed the former Rembau MP’s attendance as the symbolic return of a prominent leader to his “home”.

“From being assailed right, left and centre… today, thanks to the magnanimity of the Umno president (Ahmad Zahid Hamidi), we invite (Khairy) back to Dewan Merdeka,” said Akmal, drawing cheers from the delegates.

“This is our home. This is where it all begins,” he said at Menara Dato Onn here.

Khairy, a former minister who had held various portfolios, was sacked from the party in January 2023 for breaching party discipline during the 15th general election.

He had been openly critical of Zahid in the lead-up to the 2022 election, especially after Barisan Nasional fielded him to contest the urban Pakatan Harapan stronghold of Sungai Buloh.

Khairy lost the contest to PKR’s R Ramanan by 2,693 votes.

Since leaving Umno, Khairy has remained active in public discourse as a radio presenter and co-host of the political podcast Keluar Sekejap.

In October, there were reports that he was set to rejoin Umno after obtaining Zahid’s “blessing” to return.

Yesterday, he posted a picture of himself and Zahid at a prayer ceremony for Malaysia’s second prime minister, the late Abdul Razak Hussein.