POPULAR Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin has pledged to remain loyal to Umno should he fail to win the party presidency in tomorrow’s elections.

He will not quit Umno, but stay on to be a strong opposition MP in the Dewan Rakyat to keep check on the Pakatan Harapan government.

“If I quit, where will I put my face? Pak Lah may even slap me,” he said, referring to his father-in-law, former prime minister and former Umno president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“If I don’t win, let me be the roaring lion in the Dewan Rakyat,” the former youth and sports minister said at a gathering with Penang Umno members in Seberang Jaya last night.

Khairy is bidding for the party presidency against four other contenders, including acting president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and veteran Umno politician Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.

A survey by pollster Ilham Centre has projected that Zahid is set to secure 51% of the division votes to become the next Umno president.

Tengku Razaleigh will win 35% of the division votes while Khairy will receive 6%, said the pollster.

In about two week, the first Dewan Rakyat sitting with PH in government and Barisan Nasional in the opposition, will begin.

Khairy said Umno with 52 seats in the House should not participate as a defeated party, but as the single party with the highest number of seats in Parliament.

He said Umno had to be a party respected by even its political opponents.

“We have lost two MPs who left because they have no confidence (in the party) and also due to the lack of clear leadership in BN,” he said, referring to the Bagan Serai and Bukit Gantang MPs who quit Umno earlier this week.

“But we will reorganise ourselves. We will go in as the biggest party in the House, not as a defeated party.

“We will question PH about its 100-day pledges to reduce fuel prices, abolish toll and lower the prices of goods.”

Khairy said Umno reps should not try to negotiate with PH “like mice”.

“Don’t go and ask for help or to be thrown some lifeline. They will give us very little, less than what we deserve. Let them instead negotiate with roaring lions.”

He explained his decision to run for president at the last minute when he had initially intended to go for a vice-presidency.

He said delegates in 191 Umno divisions should be given choices apart from Zahid, the big brother, and Tengku Razaleigh, statesman and father figure, who had said he would serve for only a term, which was three years.

He described himself as one who would bring change for the new generation.

“I want to give our members a leader who will take them all the way to the next general election. You cannot be a part-time or half-time president.”

Khairy denied allegations that he was in the race to split votes and that he had made a deal to be appointed Umno secretary-general after the polls.

“I am a fighter. I am not in the party election to lose. There is no negotiation.”

He spoke about surviving the tough times in Umno, despite being married to former prime minister Abdullah’s daughter, climbing up the ranks only to be ostracised when his father-in-law stepped down.

“It was tough for me. After I was elected Youth chief, I was put in cold storage. My deputy was appointed deputy minister. So was Mukhriz (Mahathir) who did not win the contest,” he said, referring to the 2009 party polls.

Khairy said he was aware some thought him too young at 42 to be the president, but said age was just a number.

“The prime minister is 93. The Selangor menteri besar is 38 and the new youth and sports minister replacing me is 26… so what is wrong with a 42-year-old party president?”

The gathering last night at Safira Country Club was much livelier than Tengku Razaleigh’s, held the day before at the same venue.

Khairy’s event saw a packed hall with many having to remain standing for lack of a seat.

At the end of the meeting, several division chiefs openly declared support for Khairy. The Bukit Gelugor, Kepala Batas, Nibong Tebal and Permatang Pauh division leaders said he was their choice for president. – June 29, 2018.