KUALA LUMPUR: Khairy Jamaluddin is prepared to step aside and not defend his Rembau parliamentary seat in the 15th General Election (GE15) if Barisan Nasional deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan decides to stand there.
“The worst-case scenario is that I don’t contest; it’s fine. It’s okay, I’m alright,” the Health Minister told a press conference during the closing ceremony of Organ Donation Awareness Week here yesterday.
He was responding to Mohamad, who had hinted that he would contest the Rembau parliamentary seat and defend his Rantau state seat in GE15.
Khairy said Mohamad, who is Umno deputy president, spoke about contesting the Rembau seat several times.
“He (Mohamad) mentioned it a couple of years back. But then, that was tentative,” he added.
However, he said Mohamad had reiterated his intentions again in a speech last year, saying that he was going to contest in the Rembau parliamentary seat.
“He passed the message to me that I must get out of the way. What can I do? He’s the boss,” Khairy said.
Mohamad is Rembau Umno division chief while Khairy is his deputy.
Rantau is one of four state seats in Rembau parliamentary seat. The other state seats are Chembong, Kota and Paroi.
Khairy said he had never made any preparations to contest any other seat, adding that he had been the Rembau MP for three terms since 2008.
“I’m also asking some of my friends who might have a place for me,” he quipped.
He also said he had not received any instruction from the Umno leadership so far, but would abide by any decision made by the party.
“If he wants to contest the parliament seat, I will give way,” he said of Mohamad’s request.
On Saturday, Mohamad saidn during an event in Rembau that as Umno deputy president, he needed to contest a parliamentary seat to play a role at the federal level.
However, he did not specify which parliamentary seat he wants to contest, adding that potential candidates to stand in Negri Sembilan had also not been discussed by Barisan Nasional yet.