Rumors that former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin may return to Umno have sparked political debate. In response, DAP Secretary-General and Transport Minister Anthony Loke said Khairy will “inevitably return to Umno,” noting that he has never truly left politics and that his political ambitions remain strong.
Loke described Khairy as a highly ambitious politician whose ultimate goal is to become Prime Minister, making a permanent exit from politics unlikely. “I believe he is simply waiting for the right timing and platform to relaunch his career. He has his own political calculations, but I think his final destination is still Umno,” Loke said during an interview on the podcast segment on YouTube Channel – “The Keywords”
When asked whether Khairy’s return would strengthen Umno and weaken PKR, Loke said it is unlikely, as the Unity Government has agreed that all member parties must respect each party’s existing parliamentary seats. If the coalition continues into the next general election, this principle will remain.
He elaborated: “Umno currently holds 30 parliamentary seats, and their second-place vote share is mostly in Kelantan, Terengganu, and Perlis, where the main competitor is PAS. PKR holds 31 seats nationwide, and their second-place vote share is largely in mixed constituencies.”
Even if future negotiations involve some seat adjustments, Loke said the “original seat” system will generally be maintained, with the remaining constituencies negotiated among the parties.
He also emphasized that it is too early to say whether Umno could replace PKR as the dominant party, noting that political circumstances can change rapidly, especially with several years still to the next general election.
Loke added: “As long as the Unity Government’s cooperation continues, Anwar remains the current Prime Minister. If he chooses to continue leading, he will remain the coalition’s ‘poster figure’ for the next election.”
Finally, he stressed that for the Unity Government to remain stable, all member parties must reach a consensus on this point, which is crucial for maintaining a strong coalition in the upcoming general election.
