KHAIRY Jamaluddin denied knowledge of talk within Umno that party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be stepping down.

“I don’t know anything. Maybe such efforts do not involve me, if there are any. I’m not involved in anything,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

Khairy was asked about a report by the New Straits Times that certain quarters in Umno were working to push Zahid out.

The paper quoted an unnamed Umno member of parliament who said that 98% of the party’s 48 MPs had agreed to the matter.

The report said Zahid would give way to new leadership and was currently in the midst of drawing up the terms for his departure together with senior party leaders.

Such rumours have surfaced in view of Zahid’s struggle to exercise leadership and give Umno a clear direction since becoming president in June in the party polls.

Since the May 9 general election, Umno has lost six MPs who have either become independents or joined Bersatu.

Khairy said several Umno MPs had invited him for a formal discussion after the Parliament sitting ends, but he does not know the context of the meeting.

“I’m not sure if it is related to this (Zahid). I was not told of it, but there was a message to get together about some current issues,” said the Rembau MP. 

He said he has no view on the matter yet as Parliament is still in session. 

“Maybe we can have a discussion after this sitting ends. But there’s nothing for now. I have not heard of anything.”  – December 10, 2018.