KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 — Despite being sacked from Umno's supreme council and having his party membership suspended, Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman was sighted at a Barisan Nasional (BN) event in Perak yesterday.

Berita Harian (BH) reported that the third-term Pasir Salak MP greeted Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid warmly at the Perak State Stability and Prosperity Solidarity Council (Majlis Solidariti Kestabilan dan Kemakmuran Negeri Perak) event while both shook hands.

The report added that they were also seen trading jokes.

The controversial MP also reportedly joined the line of the party’s leaders onstage.

It was reported that he was present at the event as Umno’s head of the Pasir Salak division to take part in Perak BN's pledge submission to the heads of the party’s divisions in the state.

On October 3, Tajuddin said that he had no issue with his suspension and will remain loyal to the party.

"The suspension isn’t a death sentence. What’s the issue?” he was quoted saying.

In June, he was removed from the party's supreme council without explanation. A letter dated June 21 that was leaked online showed Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan expressing the party’s gratitude to the Pasir Salak MP for his previous service.

It also congratulated Tajuddin on his selection as ambassador-designate to Indonesia, a role which drew criticism from members of Umno, MPs, former diplomats and the general public before he was later dropped in July.

After being axed by the supreme council, Tajuddin held a press conference in which he accused Ahmad Zahid of leading Umno’s MPs to support Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s bid to be prime minister in 2020.

However, on September 23, he confirmed his candidacy for the Pasir Salak parliamentary seat in GE15, pre-empting Ahmad Zahid’s endorsement and insisting that he had the undivided support of the Pasir Salak Umno division.