Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin has yet again denied claims that he would be joining Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the near future.
In a Facebook post, Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) founder Badrul Hisham Shaharin or Chegubard Badrul had claimed that Khairy was preparing to join the government.
“Skilled gameplay by Khairy Jamaluddin. Provoke enough to make sure he is sacked while at the same time, readying his spot,” claimed Badrul Hisham.
Responding to a news report on Badrul’s claim that he was eyeing a spot in PH, Khairy wrote via his Twitter account: ‘Habis tu macam mana nak bertanding Presiden UMNO tahun 2021?’ (If that was the case, how am I going to contest the Umno presidency in 2021?’)
His tweet suggested that not only would he be remaining in Umno, but that he is also gunning for the party presidency in 2021.
Before this, Khairy, who is also Rembau Umno deputy chief, was also said to be on his way out of Umno following his loss in his presidency bid in the Umno elections.
However, the former Youth and Sports Minister had maintained that he would remain in Umno. He said his absence from the leadership would enable him to speak freely by criticising policies.
Meanwhile, Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has distanced the party from Khairy’s critical views on the caning of two alleged lesbians by the Terengganu Syariah Court.
The former minister insisted Khairy’s remarks were his personal views and not representative of Umno’s.
“That is his personal opinion because the official view and sentiments of the party would be decided in a meeting among top party leadership, or at least in an Umno management committee meeting,” Ismail said.
Ismail added Khairy was entitled to his opinion, but reiterated that this should not be taken as indicative of Umno’s position on the matter.
“So, anyone can express their personal opinion, but if it was not the collective decision of the supreme council or management committee, it is deemed as his personal opinion.”
When asked for Umno’s official view of the controversial public caning, he said this has not been decided.
On Monday, Khairy criticised the public caning by saying it went against the tenets of dignity and mercy espoused in Islam.
While he acknowledged that the state’s Islamic laws allowed for the corporal punishment, he said there were more compassionate ways to deal with the country’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.