AFTER losing power for the first time in the 14th general election, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said the party and the Barisan Nasional coalition must be prepared to restructure itself in order to face “two giants” in the Pakatan Harapan government.

Khairy, who is also BN Youth chief, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad and de facto PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim would be two intimidating forces to be contended with in the Dewan Rakyat.

“Malaysians have chosen two giants to lead us, our challenge is to make sure we can play the role of checks and balances against the government,” Khairy told Singapore’s Channel News Asia.

“I am an ant against the two giants, and I have to make sure I can think quickly and move quickly in the next five years,” he said.

Anwar is scheduled to be pardoned and released from prison tomorrow.

Part of the PH’s plan is to elect Anwar to Parliament to replace Dr Mahathir as prime minister, although the time frame is not settled.

Khairy said BN now has to learn to be a strong and credible opposition and to do so, they must work on structural changes to reflect the changing of people’s aspirations.

“We should seriously consider all options. What model do we want? United Malays National Organisation or United Malaysian National Organisation? What is our DNA, what is our raison d’être?” said the former youth and sports minister.

“These questions need to be asked. We should not be fixed in what model we take. Everything is on the table.”

BN won only 78 out of 22 parliamentary seats in GE14, its worst performance after six decades of rule since independence.

Khairy said Umno and BN must ensure that the position of the current 78 MPs in parliament, of which 54 are Umno MPs, must be strengthened.

He also said the party must find ways to defend itself from being deregistered for failing to hold its party elections. – May 15, 2018.