Preparing for the next Parliament session is among the first items on the agenda for Umno presidential candidate Khairy Jamaluddin if he wins the post.
Khairy said his first task will be to prepare the party to face the Pakatan Harapan led Government in Parliament.
“The rakyat wants to see if Umno and Barisan Nasional have awakened from our defeat in the general election.
Lim Huey Teng/Malaysiakini
“I will form a shadow Cabinet as soon as possible as well, so we will look more organised and structured.
“This will enable us to fulfil the wishes of the rakyat to have a more credible Opposition that can ensure that the current Government is held accountable,” he said in an interview with Karangkraf Media Group editorial adviser Datuk Abd Jalil Ali on Thursday (June 21).
The interview was streamed on Sinar Harian’s Facebook page via FB Live.
The first session of the Dewan Rakyat after the 14th general election will begin on July 16.
Khairy said the formation of a shadow Cabinet is vital to ensure there is a proper structure for Barisan as the Opposition in Parliament.
He said this will also show that Barisan has accepted that it is the Opposition and will conduct its duties as an effective one.
“This is what the rakyat wants in a two-party system,” he added.
When asked by Facebook users on his plans to eradicate corruption and money politics in the party, Khairy said there needs to be an “extraordinary approach” to it.
He suggested that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) could be invited to monitor such activities for party polls in the future.
“Why not invite them (MACC)? We can work with them and they can monitor Umno elections so that the members will be scared.
“That would be an extreme suggestion from me,” he said.
The Rembau MP will go up against six others in the run for the Umno presidency, including Kelantan prince and Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The party polls will be held on June 30.
Zahid is the deputy president who is now handling the duties of the president following Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s resignation last month.
The other challengers are Rahmat Azim Abdul Aziz,Rosile Saat, Mohamed Iqbal Maricair and Mohd Yusof Musa @ Jamaluddin.
Khairy and Tengku Razaleigh have agreed to hold a presidential debate on the eve of the polls, the first such event, to be aired live on Astro Awani. – The Star
