KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 — Caretaker Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin today said that he is willing to take any seat offered to him by Umno, as rumours continue to spiral about him contesting in the Sungai Buloh parliamentary seat.
The Rembau incumbent said that the decision rests with his party’s leadership and the names will be announced soon.
“I don’t know. I feel all decisions regarding election candidates will be announced not too long more. Let it be announced by the party leadership.
“I accept any area given to me,” Khairy said in a short reply, during a Covid-19 press conference today.
He was asked to comment on his rumoured candidacy for Sungai Buloh, with Umno reportedly still sieving its candidates for the 15th general election (GE15).
Political parties have started announcing their list of candidates for GE15, since last week.
Speculations have been rife on Khairy’s Sungai Buloh candidacy after problems in securing a seat in Negri Sembilan. However, there are ongoing negotiation issues with Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties, which Umno is the lynchpin of.
Khairy is viewed as the more progressive face of Umno, given his performance as the health minister, while the Malay nationalist party has been saddled with corruption allegations that have landed several of its top leaders in court.
Khairy won the Rembau parliamentary seat by defeating his opponents from PAS and PKR after garnering a 36,096 vote majority.
In September, Khairy confirmed that he had been asked to “move out” of Rembau to make way for Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
The Rembau MP for almost 15 years said he will toe the party line, adding that he is unsure if he will contest in GE15.
Khairy who has been Rembau MP since 2008 said he has not thought about where else he might contest when asked.
“That I don’t know, as I am from Rembau, I am the deputy and I don’t know other areas.
“For more than 20 years my political journey has been in Rembau and I have been an MP for Rembau for almost 15 years, so I have never thought of becoming a candidate in other areas.
“Why would I think about going to other areas when I have been in Rembau for 15 years and since I have been told to move out, I have to work hard to look for a new area that would accept me,” the 46-year-old told reporters after officiating an event at the public low-cost flats in Seri Alam 2.
Khairy said he is loyal to Umno and will abide by all orders from the party’s top echelon.
“It’s just that I haven’t received any instruction and if I want to head to other areas, it’s embarrassing to infiltrate other people’s area,” he was reported saying then.
