Khairy expected to be fielded in Sungai Buloh

 

Khairy Jamaluddin said last week he expects to be given a seat won by the opposition at the 2018 general election. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Former Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin is close to being confirmed as Umno’s nominee to contest the Sungai Buloh parliamentary seat in the general election.

An Umno source in Sungai Buloh told FMT that the matter was almost confirmed. However, an MIC source said the party’s machinery would not support an Umno candidate in Sungai Buloh, which MIC regards as their traditional seat.

The Umno source said Sungai Buloh may be a tough seat for Khairy to contest, but the division believes that he will pull through because of his popularity especially since he became the health minister in August last year and managed the Covid-19 pandemic.

“His popularity will garner him votes from constituents here,” said the source, who asked to remain anonymous.

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Khairy has been a three-term MP for Rembau but said last month he had been told to make way for Umno’s deputy president Mohamad Hasan, who is Rembau division chief and a former menteri besar of Negeri Sembilan.

Last week, Khairy said: “I am almost certain that I will be sent to an area held by the opposition and it is most likely one that is not considered a safe seat.”

Sungai Buloh was created in 2018 from the Subang and Kuala Selangor seats and was won by R Sivarasa of PKR with a majority of 26,634 votes against a PAS candidate and Prakash Rao Applanaidoo of MIC, who came in third with 16,681 votes, 316 votes behind the PAS candidate.

The general election takes place on Nov 19. Nominations will be held on Nov 5, with early voting set for Nov 15. - FMT