The Malaysian Insight

LEFT without a position after losing the Umno presidency to Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, what does the future hold for Khairy Jamaluddin, formerly chief of the party’s Youth division with a matching ministerial portfolio?

His public statements have put him at odds with the party leadership and left Umno’s power brokers nonplussed.

But though he may cut a lonely figure, and one who is often the target of his colleagues’ ire, Khairy is not completely out of favour in Umno.

Umno Supreme Council member Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, who has taken the Rembau MP to task for showing dissent, said the party still needed the 42-year-old, who appealed to a certain segment of supporters.

“Khairy is still relevant to the party, he has influence (within his own sphere) – and everyone who has influence, whether over village chiefs of branch chiefs, is needed for Umno to rise again,” Tajuddin told The Malaysian Insight.

At a time when a dispirited Umno is feeling its way through unfamiliar territory as an opposition party, Khairy has not endeared himself to the loyalists of former party president Najib Razak.

Khairy was among the first of the party leaders to demand Najib’s resignation after Barisan Nasional’s defeat in the 14th general election. He called Umno members delusional for their blind support for Najib against mounting allegations of corruption.

He had voiced his approval when the Public Accounts Committee reopened investigations into 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), saying closure would be welcome as Umno could no longer afford to carry the “1MDB carcass”  around its neck.

Khairy then backed calls for Najib to distance himself from Umno and to give the new president Zahid room to lead the party.

Another Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam said Khairy’s lack of tact could be why he was not as popular with the other party members.

“Maybe his way of conveying his views is hurtful to some. The word ‘carcass’ should not have been used. It was this ‘carcass’ that had made him a minister,” Lokman said, without naming the former prime minister to whom Khairy owed his appointment to youth and sports minister.

Lokman has emerged as one of Najib’s chief apologists post-GE14.

“Khairy does have unique advantages that can benefit Umno. We cannot say he is irrelevant just because his opinions differ.” 

Umno Veterans Club secretary-general Mustapha Yaakub said Khairy’s dissenting statements did not mean Umno was split.

“Khairy is radical in airing his views and his proposals to reform the party, but the older generation may have difficulty accepting them. They may not understand the message Khairy is trying to get across.

“They don’t understand when he says things like ‘people don’t care if Pakatan Harapan doesn’t fulfil its manifesto promises because they wish only to topple Umno’... Perhaps if he can explain what he really means, then the members will better understand him.

Mustapha was referring to Khairy’s recent urging of his BN colleagues to stop harping on PH’s failed promises when they should be setting the course for the party now that it was the opposition.

Umno members aligned to Khairy say he is the man who can make Umno more “centrist”. But his statements condemning the Umno-PAS cooperation in the Selangor by-elections and party members’ blind loyalty to leaders and warlords have earned him rebuke from the more right-wing members.

Isham Jalil, a former aide to Najib, recently told him to leave and join PKR or DAP.

Khairy refused, of course. Isham is not the only colleague Khairy’ had provoked with his bluntness. A source close to Khairy said he is a thorn in the side of the more conservative set.

BN Youth executive secretary Zaidel Baharuddin said many Umno members wished to move forward but were prevented by the party’s rigid structure. 

“A sizeable number want to move (forward), just look at the number of votes Khairy garnered in the party elections,” he said. Khairy won 61 divisional votes to come in second to Zahid’s 99, of a total 191 votes in the presidential race.

“The party system doesn’t allow much room for change (due to a ) very rigid hierarchy,” Zaidel told The Malaysian Insight. 

Some noted Khairy was filling the void for an opposition leader as Zahid had so far declined to call Putrajaya to account. They said Najib, even in disgrace, was challenging the government on many issues via statements on Facebook, and behaving more like the opposition leader than Zahid.

Khairy has faced off Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng in the Dewan Rakyat over the repeal of the goods and services tax and the existence of the Council of Eminent Persons.

“Khairy has the credibility to advocate his brand of Umno… one that embraces diversity of opinions and can agree to disagree, ultimately leading to the best possible outcome. He shares the people’s concerns and values, which is significant in terms of gaining their support,” said Umno Youth exco member Ibdillah Ishak.

In Khairy, Umno would find a leader who wished to see the party regain its influence instead of a leader who “opposes for the sake of opposing”.

For all the feathers he has ruffled with his outspokenness, and the indignation he caused when he turned down the offer of one party post after another from the party president, the Umno rebel appears to have found his niche, and not a little respect, as the man who isn’t afraid to speak up, even on delicate or controversial subjects.

“Khairy can be a key spokesman. (He has) a very loud voice,” Zaidel said.

No one should be surprised if Khairy were to take another shot at the no. 1 post in the next party elections, due in 2021. One wouldn’t be surprised if he were to win, too. – August 26, 2018.