UMNO will give Khairy Jamaluddin a suitable seat to contest in the coming general election, party deputy president Mohamad Hasan said today.

The health minister, who has been Rembau lawmaker since 2008, had been asked to give way to allow Mohamad to contest in the seat in the national polls. This will be Mohamad’s first foray into a federal seat.

Mohamad Hasan is the incumbent state assemblyman for Rantau, one of four state seats under the Rembau parliamentary seat.

Speaking to reporters after opening the Rembau Umno division meeting today, Mohamad said Khairy must be given a seat as he is young, has calibre and is a good leader for the nation.

“Alhamdulillah, this is the family spirit in Rembau… we are refined. We are enlightened. We will make sure that the machinery in Rembau will be enhanced, so there will be no more Rembau seat issues. God willing,” he said.

Last month, Khairy said that he was seatless for the time being as he had been told to make way for Mohamad, who is Rembau Umno division chief, to contest the seat.

Khairy is Mohamad’s deputy in the Rembau division. He won the 2008 polls by a 5,746 majority, 2013 (18,357) and 2018 (4,364).

He was made the health minister in Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s administration, and went on to gain good press for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, his ties with the Umno leadership is reported to be strained, especially after he had criticised the party for allowing party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to continue to helm the party as he faced criminal charges.

Khairy also lost in the race to become president in the party polls after the 2018 general election when he failed to defeat Zahid. – October 16, 2022.