Will Khairy be retained in Rembau?

With Negeri MB Mohd Hasan is eyeing the parliamentary seat for the 13th GE, fate of Umno youth chief rests solely with Najib

REMBAU: With the prospect of Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohd Hasan contesting in the Rembau parliament seat in the 13th General Election, the big question is what will happen to current Rembau MP and Umno Youth chief, Khairy Jamaluddin.

Barring last minutes changes by prime minister Najib Tun Abdul Razak, Mohd Hasan is set to contest the Rembau parliamentary seat and he has been aggressively doing his ground work in Rembau since late last year.

The Rembau parliament constituency encompasses four state seats. Umno-BN won Rantau, where Mohd Hasan is the state assemblyman, Chembong and Kota. It lost the Paroi state seat.

In 2008, Khairy won the Rembau seat with a 5,746 majority, defeating Rembau PKR chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin.

Top Umno leaders here can’t say is what will happen to Khairy and where he’s contesting? Could he be given the Rantau state seat? Only Najib holds the cards.

“Najib has to decide if Khairy is an asset to him,” said a source. Najib is aware there is a possibility of his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin and Mukhriz Mahathir teaming to take on Najib and his cousin Hishamuddin Hussein at the party elections next year.

“Muhyiddin will vie for the president’s post. Hishamuddin will go for the deputy president’s post and Mukhriz is expected to challenge Hishamuddin,” revealed the source.

“Support from Umno youth is very vital for Najib and Hishamuddin and the only man who can work with Najib and Hishamuddin at the moment is Khairy. He has defended Najib on many issues,” added the source.

There is a likelihood that Najib will field Khairy at Kepala Batas where Khairy’s father in law and former prime minister Abdullah Badawi is the current MP.

It will not be difficult for Umno Kepala Batas to accommodate Khairy to stand in Kepala Batas in the general election as Umno division chief is Abdullah himself.

Khairy also can expect the support of Kepala Batas Umno youth chief Reezal Merican Naina Merican who is also one Khairy’s most trusted man.

Reezal Merican also enjoys a close relationship with Abdullah as well. Khairy’s political career still can be saved provided Najib gives him the nod to contest in Kepala Batas.