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Sacked Khairy professes undying love for Umno

KUALA LUMPUR — Former Malaysian health minister Khairy Jamaluddin said his affection and loyalty towards the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) was undiminished even though the party had booted him out last week for working against its interests. 

Mr Khairy Jamaluddin speaks during an election campaign rally on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur in 2022.

Mr Khairy Jamaluddin speaks during an election campaign rally on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur in 2022.

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KUALA LUMPUR — Former Malaysian health minister Khairy Jamaluddin said his affection and loyalty towards the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) was undiminished even though the party had booted him out last week for working against its interests. 

“I’ve been with the party for 23 years and have given everything,” the party's former youth chief said. 

“Wherever I go, I will love Umno. Because this is my party. My loyalty and true love will always be for Umno,” he added. 

Mr Khairy said that he had never intended to leave the Malay-based organisation, but was sacked without due process.   

“I was not invited for a disciplinary hearing; I was not even told that my case would be discussed in the supreme council meeting. 

“The sacking is not fair at all,” he added. 

When asked if he would accept a suspension instead, he said that would not make things any better.  

“If the party doesn’t want you, then it’s better to be sacked,” he said. 

Last Friday (Jan 27), Umno sacked Mr Khairy and Mr Noh Omar, both veteran leaders, for allegedly working against the interests of the party.  

Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein and deputy Umno Youth chief Shahril Hamdan received six-year suspensions.   

Also suspended were former Jempol MP Mohd Salim Shariff and former Tiram assemblyman Maulizan Bujang. 

VICTIMSED FOR WANTING A BETTER UMNO 

Mr Khairy said he was victimised because he wanted the party’s top two posts to be contested. 

After Umno’s disastrous performance at the recent general election, with the party only winning 26 seats, Mr Khairy felt that it was time for a change in leadership. 

He dismissed speculation of a personal vendetta against party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as being the reason for wanting the posts to be challenged. 

“I just wanted him (Zahid) to open the contest because under his leadership we went down to 26 seats. 

“I’ve nothing against him personally. I still regard him as a friend but the contest should have been open. 

“If he (Zahid) had won, fine. If someone else won, then good because I believed we needed a new leadership,” Mr Khairy said. 

NO INTENTION OF CONTESTING FOR TOP TWO POSTS

Mr Khairy asserted that he had no intention of challenging Mr Zahid or his deputy Mohamad Hasan for the top two positions, adding that he welcomed former party vice-president Hishamuddin and present vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s bids for the top two posts. 

“I had already informed Hishamuddin and Ismail that I would happily give way to them,” he said.

“I hadn’t planned to go for the presidency. I told Hishamuddin and Ismail I had done it before, and I wasn’t successful. 

“So, I told them to go for it while I was quite happy to go for the vice-presidency,” he said. 

Mr Khairy said the no-contests showed that democracy had ended in the party.

“Despite the decline, the party still doesn’t want a change in leadership. 

“When an organisation has suffered its biggest defeat in a general election, rebirth can only happen when you allow the members to decide which direction they want to go. 

“But if that is also denied, then it’s tough for Umno to reinvent itself,” he added. THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT

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