The Malaysian Insight

KHAIRY Jamaluddin’s suggestion that Umno be opened up to other races may backfire, said acting president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The former deputy minister said Onn Jaafar, the late Umno founder, had tried mooting the idea, but ended up being booted out of the party.

“I respect his (Khairy’s) stand and opinion. He may do it if he is elected as the new president.

“I would like to see if he can translate it or not. Onn Jaafar tried to do it before, but see what happened to him,” Zahid said in a special press conference today.

Umno Youth chief Khairy will go up against Zahid and Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Tengku Hamzah for the party’s top post in the June 30 polls.

The Rembau MP previously suggested that Umno be opened up to non-Malays as a way to reinvent the party, following its thrashing in the 14th general election.

Zahid said as acting president, he had assigned Khairy to a task force aimed at reinventing Umno even before the party elections were called.

The Bagan Datuk MP, without mentioning names, said some party leaders are using the revamp rhetoric as part of their campaign strategy.

“I have given the responsibly to Khairy to head a task force to rebrand and reinvent Umno and Barisan Nasional.

“We know this has been used by some candidates to prop themselves up for the elections.”

He also warned that Umno needs to be rid of money politics.

“We need to get rid of money politics in Umno 100%. There needs to be zero money politics for posts.

“The posts should be given based on credibility, and not anything else.”

The last party elections were held in October 2013. Since then, polls have been postponed twice – the first time in October 2016, and again earlier this year. – June 23, 2018.