PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA: Umno rising star Khairy Jamaluddin’s future is in doubt now that Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Tun Hussein has distanced himself from his deputy. To add to his problem, two other contenders are now eyeing the post.
Khairy is now weighing his chances carefully. Speaking to reporters Friday (4 Apr) at his community service centre in Rembau where he is the new member of Parliament, he said he is leaving it to the movement's grassroots to determine whether he should contest the seat to be vacated by Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.
“As the Umno Youth deputy chief, I represent an institution and because of this, I cannot make any hasty decisions at my personal will,” Bernama reported him as saying.
"I have been taught by Datuk Seri Hishammuddin to safeguard the institution. Therefore, I have to get back to the institution, namely the grassroots, and get their views first," he said.
In announcing his decision Thursday (3 APr) to not to re-contest the Youth Chief post, Hishammuddin said , "I'm not directly or indirectly supporting anyone. We'll let the delegates decide."
By tradition, the deputy would move up to head the party’s Youth wing upon the incumbent stepping down from the post. But Hishammuddin denied that it was a tradition for the deputy to take over the chief's place when a vacancy arises, thus distancing himself from Khairy.
Former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo and Umno Youth exco member Mukhriz Mahathir have both confirmed that they would be vying for the post in the December party polls.
Khir, also Umno supreme council member, had earlier strongly hinted that he would go for top post in the party's Youth wing.
Mukhriz, who is son of ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad, said he would contest the post if Hishammuddin is not defending it.
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