Khairy: Youth or not, Umno must be led by one who can revive it

The leadership reins of Umno must be in the hands of a person who can revive the party in the wake of its unprecedented defeat in the 14th general election, said Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

As such, he pointed out the issue of whether Umno is led by someone from the Youth wing or otherwise should not arise.

"The one who should helm the leadership is one who can revive the party. It doesn't have to be a youth, or a higher up.

"It should be given to a leader whom the grassroots feel can revive the party. This matter of youth or not, I don't want to hear it," he told a press conference at the Umno headquarters today.

Khairy said this when asked about calls from Umno grassroots for the Youth wing to lead Umno, which is the backbone of BN.

Following the general election, the former youth and sports minister called for immediate reforms while the Youth wing took the lead in pressuring Najib Abdul Razak to resign as Umno president.

Some observers viewed this as a precursor to a possible bid by Khairy to become the new president.

However, sources within Umno Youth said Khairy would not vie for the top post and it is likely that next month's party polls would not witness a contest for the top two posts.

Umno is expected to be led for the next three years by Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who took over from Najib, and acting deputy president Hishammuddin Hussein.

[More to follow] -Mkini