KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 — Umno presidential hopeful Khairy Jamaluddin said he would direct Barisan Nasional senators to support Pakatan Harapan’s legal reforms if he is made Opposition leader.

The outgoing Umno Youth chief who is bidding to lead the wounded Malay nationalist party pointed out that while BN has lost hold of the Dewan Rakyat, it still controlled the Senate.

"If I become Opposition leader, I will not oppose simply for the sake of opposing. We must be constructive in our opposition.

If we wanted to do so, we could block the passage of laws when these reach the Dewan Negara,” he said.

Khairy said the public must remember that there were two Houses of Parliament and both must agree before laws including the federal budget can be passed.

Giving the example of the Sales and Services Tax (SST) that will replace the Goods and Services Tax (GST), he said a hostile Senate could frustrate the passage of such Bills tabled by PH and passed by the lower house.

He said that while he did not agree with the policy, he would not stand in its way as that would be detrimental to public interest.

"If I am Opposition leader, I would direct BN senators to pass the Bill. If we don’t, it is the public who will suffer as the government would lose revenue,” he said.

Khairy is challenging Umno vice president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and party stalwart Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for the leadership of the Malay nationalist party.

His bid bucks the traditional path to become Umno president, but is consistent with younger party members’ clamour for a complete overhaul of the leadership.