KUALA LUMPUR, June 4 — Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was probably being sarcastic when he said Khairy Jamaluddin is the best person to lead Umno, the Umno youth chief said today.

"He’s always being sarcastic so maybe he was poking fun (at me),” Malaysiakini quoted Khairy as saying.

"I think Tun (Mahathir) was being sarcastic,” he added.

Yesterday, Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Khairy was an eligible candidate for the post, with Umno in disarray and directionless in its struggle.

"I think the best candidate (for the post of) Umno president is Khairy Jamaluddin,” he said yesterday.