Former UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has made it clear that his current priority is securing a return to the party, dismissing talk about contesting seats in the next general election as premature.
Speaking after attending an Aidilfitri open house hosted by Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Khairy said discussions about potential constituencies were not appropriate at this stage, as he is still in the process of rejoining UMNO.
Khairy, who was expelled from the party three years ago, submitted his appeal to return on March 15. His application is expected to be reviewed at the upcoming UMNO Supreme Council meeting scheduled for April 17.
UMNO vice-president Mohamed Khaled Nordin previously confirmed that several applications from former leaders, including Hishammuddin Hussein, would be deliberated during the meeting under the “Rumah Bangsa” approach.
On the matter of seat allocation, Khairy stressed that decisions rest with Barisan Nasional chairman and UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, adding that he does not intend to pre-empt party leadership.
He also addressed the wishes of the late former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, expressing that his request for Reezal Merican to continue leading the Kepala Batas parliamentary seat should be respected.
Khairy noted that as Abdullah’s son-in-law, he felt a personal responsibility to honour the late leader’s wishes, while expressing hope that Reezal would reclaim the seat in the next general election.
In the 15th General Election, Reezal lost the Kepala Batas seat to Perikatan Nasional candidate Dr Siti Mastura Muhammad with a majority of 2,867 votes.
