AS the clock ticks towards tomorrow’s Umno central leadership election, presidential candidate Khairy Jamaluddin told party members that they owe nobody their support.

This is because nobody in Umno is in the position to make promises or threats to gain support, he said.

There was no need for anyone to feel they were indebted to any candidate, the former party youth chief said.

“We are not in government anymore. In the past, we thought our support for certain candidates would get us positions in the party, the government or some GLC (government-linked company).

“Today we have nothing. Don’t think that because you did not vote for a certain candidate, you will spoil your chances (rezeki ditarik) or lose your positions.

“So don’t feel indebted to anyone. We have nothing left except our commitment to see Umno back in power soon,” he told Penang Umno members at a gathering in Seberang Jaya last night.

Khairy is running against four others for the presidency, including acting president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and veteran Umno politician Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.

The Rembau MP, who was formerly youth and sports minister, also said he could not make promises himself.

“All the three of us are just normal MPs now. Today, the only ones who can determine the future of the party are the delegates and normal party members,” he said in his speech.

Umno and Barisan Nasional faced its worst general election in GE14, losing control of the federal government to Pakatan Harapan. The coalition only won 79 parliamentary seats but is now left with 55 after component parties from Sabah and Sarawak, and two Perak Umno MPs walked out.

Umno, the BN lynchpin party that won the bulk of the BN seats is now left with just 52 following the resignations of the duo from Perak.

Khairy said Umno was embroiled in a big scandal and lost the support of Malay youths, the police, armed forces, Felda and rural voters to Pakatan Harapan and PAS in GE14.

During a question-and-answer session, Khairy said Malay support would only return to Umno if the party cleaned itself up.

He said Umno must be seen to be changing because if it continued to be seen negatively and as a party involved in corruption, the voters won’t come back.

“The days when we tell people Malay rights will be lost if PH is voted into power are over.

“Malay support will only come back to Umno if the party proves itself to be trustworthy, clean, principled and with integrity. Let me help Umno clean up and unite Malay support.” – June 29, 2018