KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 28): “Tonight, I was sacked by the party that I love, to which I have pledged my loyalty. Unbowed, unbent, unbroken.”
Khairy Jamaluddin posted this on his Facebook profile and Twitter, minutes after Umno confirmed in a statement after midnight that he was among 44 individuals booted out by the party at the Umno Supreme Council meeting on Friday (Jan 27).
His post drew a slew of responses in both Facebook and Twitter, with many telling him to “stay strong” while some speculated whether he would be joining another party.
Khairy’s sacking came alongside that of former Umno Selangor chief Tan Sri Noh Omar, and the suspension of four members including Sembrong Member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.
Tension has been rising within Umno since November, following its poor performance in the 15th general election (GE15), as the more vocal members — including Khairy — called for the resignation of party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Prior to Umno’s announcement, Khairy stirred speculation that something was brewing as he put up a poster on his Facebook with the message: “Having a different view from party leadership and calling for respect towards the democratic process do not mean disloyalty to the party”.
He added that Umno belongs to “all members” and not just the Supreme Council.
Some speculated that the post was also hinting at a motion being passed at Umno’s general assembly this month for the no-contest of Umno’s top two positions, held by Zahid and deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
Prior to Umno’s sacking, Khairy turned down offers from Perikatan Nasional (PN) component party PAS to join the coalition, saying he remained loyal to Umno.
The sacking no doubt marks a turning point for Khairy’s political career.
The 47-year-old who held on to the Rembau constituency for three terms but made way for Mohamad Hasan’s parliamentary debut in GE15, is currently without a seat in Parliament, as he lost his bid for Sungai Buloh, where he was sent to wrestle the seat from PKR. He lost the seat by a slim majority to PKR’s Datuk R Ramanan during the polls in November.
During campaigning for GE15, Khairy made public his ambition of eventually becoming the country’s prime minister.
At the time, he described himself as an Umno “reformist” while claiming Umno had lost its way, that it needed to be fixed and cleaned up.
Khairy served as Umno’s youth chief for 10 years from 2008 to 2018. He resigned from the position after BN’s first electoral loss in GE14, and contested for the Umno presidency that same year, but lost to Ahmad Zahid.