‘Survival’ buat KJ, bukan soal berbaik semula

LANGKAH membawa Khairy Jamaluddin kembali ke Umno dilihat bukan soal ‘berbaik semula’, tetapi lebih kepada kepentingan politik untuk kedua-dua pihak, menurut penganalisis.

Syaza Shukri dari Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM) berkata Khairy kini tidak mempunyai banyak pilihan selepas dipecat daripada Umno pada Januari 2023 kerana melanggar disiplin parti.

Katanya, kepulangan bekas menteri kesihatan itu juga boleh membantu menguatkan semula Umno kerana beliau masih mempunyai sokongan dalam kalangan sebahagian pengundi, terutama menjelang PRU16.

“Apa yang kita lihat, peluang Khairy untuk kembali ke Umno adalah tinggi dan beliau dijangka akan bekerjasama dengan presiden parti, Zahid Hamidi. Lebih baik beliau berada dalam Umno daripada berada di luar dan berpotensi mencabar parti secara terbuka.

“Bagi Khairy, Umno tetap pilihan paling kukuh. Contohnya sukar untuk bayangkan beliau masuk PKR. Identiti politik beliau memang Umno.

“Dan bagi Umno, Khairy masih mempunyai daya tarikan, khususnya sebagai tokoh pemimpin generasi baharu. Jadi ia masuk akal jika Umno bawa beliau kembali,” katanya kepada FMT.

Syaza menjangkakan akan wujud satu persetujuan tidak rasmi — Khairy tidak akan mencabar Zahid buat masa terdekat — sebagai syarat untuk beliau kembali.

Minggu lalu, Berita Harian melaporkan Khairy dijangka kembali ke Umno sebelum PRN Sabah 29 Nov depan selepas mendapat ‘restu’ Zahid.

Malah, beliau dikatakan berpotensi menjadi calon Barisan Nasional (BN) di Kepala Batas pada PRU16, kerusi yang pernah dipegang oleh bekas perdana menteri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, bapa mentua Khairy.

Azmi Hassan dari Akademi Nusantara pula berkata Khairy sebenarnya lebih memerlukan Umno berbanding Umno memerlukan beliau, kerana usahanya di luar politik seperti audio siar Keluar Sekejap dan menjadi duta jenama tidak cukup untuk memenuhi cita-cita politiknya.

Katanya lagi, Khairy perlu bekerja keras untuk kembali diterima akar umbi Umno kerana Zahid kini mempunyai kawalan yang lebih kukuh ke atas parti berbanding ketika Khairy dipecat.

“Kalau Khairy kembali, dia perlu menyesuaikan diri dan membina semula kepercayaan ahli-ahli Umno di peringkat bawah,” katanya.

Khairy sebelum ini lantang mengkritik Zahid, terutama selepas diletakkan bertanding di kerusi Sungai Buloh dalam PRU 2022, dan kemudian mendesak Zahid meletakkan jawatan selepas kekalahan teruk Umno.

Sementara itu, Awang Azman Pawi dari Universiti Malaya pula berkata, Khairy memilih untuk kembali ke Umno kerana melihat Bersatu dan Perikatan Nasional (PN) kini sedang menghadapi masalah dalaman dan kehilangan momentum.

“Khairy mungkin melihat pertarungan kuasa dalam Bersatu dan PN, jadi dia fikir lebih baik kembali ke Umno sebelum orang lain mengukuhkan kedudukan dan dia pula tercicir,” katanya.

Awang Azman juga percaya Zahid tidak mempunyai masalah menerima Khairy kembali kerana tumpuan utama presiden Umno ketika ini ialah memulihkan kekuatan parti menjelang PRU16.

 

 

Survival, not reconciliation, moots KJ’s return

ALLOWING Khairy Jamaluddin back into Umno may be less about reconciliation and more about political survival for both the former health minister and the party, analysts say.

Syaza Shukri of the International Islamic University Malaysia said Khairy has few realistic alternatives after being expelled from Umno in January 2023 for breaching party discipline.

She added that Khairy’s return would benefit Umno as the former three-term Rembau MP still retains strong support among some segments of voters and would bolster the party’s image ahead of the next general election (GE16).

“Based on what we know publicly, there’s a high chance Khairy will return to Umno and work with its president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. It’s better to have him within Umno than outside where he could openly challenge Umno.

“For Khairy, of course Umno is his best bet. Where else is he going to go? PKR? He’s an Umno man through and through.

“(For Umno) Khairy still has that appeal with certain demographics. He is touted as a next-gen leader, so it is good for Umno to bring him back,” she told FMT.

Syaza said allowing Khairy’s return was just part of politics and winning elections.

She expected the former Umno Youth chief to reach some kind of informal agreement to facilitate his return, namely not to challenge Zahid openly for now.

On Thursday, Berita Harian quoted a source as saying Khairy was set to rejoin Umno before the Sabah state asssembly elections next month after obtaining Zahid’s “blessing”.

The source said Barisan Nasional was also considering fielding Khairy as its candidate in Kepala Batas in GE16, a parliamentary seat long held by the late Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the former prime minister and Khairy’s father-in-law.

Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said Khairy needed Umno more than the party needed him, as his ventures outside of politics — including his Keluar Sekejap podcast and ambassadorial roles for various brands — were “not good enough” for someone of his political ambition.

He said Khairy would have his work cut out to regain the support of Umno’s grassroots as Zahid, of whom he was publicly critical, now had a firmer grip on the party compared to the time Khairy was expelled.

“If Khairy returns, he will need to reintegrate to make himself acceptable to the party grassroots,” Azmi said.

Khairy had been openly critical of Zahid in the lead-up to the 2022 general election, especially after BN fielded him in the urban Pakatan Harapan stronghold of Sungai Buloh.

Umno put up its worst electoral performance in the 2022 elections, prompting Khairy to call for Zahid to step down as party president.

Awang Azman Pawi of Universiti Malaya said Khairy’s return to Umno would mean he had nowhere else to go, especially with Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional losing momentum of late.

“Khairy probably sees the internal crises and power struggles in Bersatu and PN, and realises he’s better off returning to Umno before others consolidate power and leave him behind,” he said.

Awang Azman expected Zahid to accept Khairy back into the fold despite the public criticism, as the Umno president’s main consideration would be the possible ways to boost the party ahead of GE16.

 

 

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