KEPALA BATAS, Penang: Former UMNO Youth Chief, Khairy Jamaluddin’s main focus at the moment is on his application to rejoin the party.
Therefore, he described any discussion about the seat to be contested in the upcoming general election (GE) as too early.
“I think it is too early for us to discuss where to contest (because) I am just in the process of returning, so the matter is not appropriate to discuss,” he told reporters after attending the Aidilfitri Open House of Bertam assemblyman, Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, here last night (Apr 10).
After three years of being expelled from UMNO, Khairy submitted an appeal letter to return to UMNO on March 15.
UMNO’s Vice-President, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, previously said that the applications of several former UMNO leaders, including Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Khairy, to rejoin the party would be discussed at the UMNO Supreme Council Meeting (MT) on April 17 based on the spirit of ‘Rumah Bangsa’.
Khairy said the determination of candidates and seat distribution by Barisan Nasional (BN) was under the jurisdiction of its Chairman, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also UMNO President, hence he did not want to preempt any party decisions.
Meanwhile, he said that the wish of former Prime Minister, the late Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also a former Kepala Batas MP for the parliamentary seat to continue to be led by an individual he trusted, namely Reezal Merican who is now the Chairman of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), should be respected.
“During his lifetime, Pak Lah had advised both of us, me as his son-in-law and Reezal Merican as his political son, to let Reezal take care of Kepala Batas.
“So, I will not disrespect his decision and wish. I hope that Reezal Merican will succeed in the GE and be able to reclaim the Kepala Batas parliamentary seat,” he said.
In the 15th GE, Reezal Merican failed to defend his Kepala Batas parliamentary seat when he lost to Perikan Nasional (PN) candidate, Dr Siti Mastura Muhammad, with a majority of 2,867 votes. – BERNAMA
