KJ’s excuses and denials

 

A few days ago, Khairy Jamaluddin, the outgoing health minister, expressed a desire to win Sungai Buloh first, before eventually setting his sights on becoming a future prime minister of Malaysia.

Among other things, he claimed that a 2016 scandal at the ministry of youth, involving RM107 million embezzled by a senior official, had been resolved. Was this reported in the news? Has the money been recovered? Most of us are not aware if any one has been punished, or held accountable.

It is all very well saying that the embezzlement started before KJ’s time as minister. What is wrong with giving Malaysians the news they want to hear, instead of shifting the blame, yet again? This scandal, and many others like it, has not been satisfactorily explained to the general public.

In March 2021, when he was the minister of science, technology, and innovation, KJ was voted the best performing minister in the Perikatan National cabinet. His success was gained from a “vaccine boost” when he was in charge of the national immunisation programme.

Would he have scored as highly if there was no coronavirus pandemic?

Playing the game

Khairy carries a lot of baggage, which he cannot easily dismiss, however clean an image he wants to project. When his father-in-law was PM, KJ was perceived to be acting with extreme arrogance, as Abdullah Ahmad Badawai was there to prop him up.

KJ also knows how to play the game as a populist, or party loyalist.

His bravado in declaring his intention to be PM has been praised by the caretaker PM, Ismail Sabri Yaaakob, the PN chairman, Muhyiddin Yassin, and the Bersatu secretary-general, Hamzah Zainuddin.

They said that KJ was eligible, had good credibility, excelled in his duties as minister, was trustworthy, and a good leader.

Dodging the challenge

Before KJ rushes headlong into self-promotion and self-praise, could he say why he failed to call out Najib Razak for his role in the 1MDB fiasco? KJ’s failure to do so shows that he does not have the gravitas to be a future PM.

On the eve of GE-14, he made a video with Najib with a scene from a mamak stall, boasting about the brilliance of Umno-Baru. But Umno-Baru lost that general election and Najib was eventually charged, found guilty, and sentenced to jail for his role in mega corruption.

In the past, KJ was allegedly reluctant to condemn Dr Mahathir Mohamad over corruption during his tenure as prime minister. It is not just the corruption, but the racism, the anti-semitism, and also the multiple scandals which occurred during Mahathir’s rule as the 4th PM.

Muhyiddin said that KJ had a good future, but was in the wrong party. Is that an invitation to join Bersatu?

Or form a new party

The way Umno-Baru has been affected by internal power struggles, KJ may as well gather up some of the young talent and form a new multiracial party, if he indeed wants to make an impact in Malaysian politics, rather than be tainted by the diseased Umno-Baru genetic make-up.

The new party could be a formidable adversary, not just for PKR, but also for Bersatu. However, he will face a multitude of challenges, not least from the Registrar of Societies, but also from Umno-Baru. Their grassroots and division heads will be less than pleased.

But the question is: can KJ get rid of the Ketuanan Melayu principle, which is deeply ingrained in the minds of many Malay Umno-Baru politicians? Will he be willing to put the interests of the country first and follow the letter and spirit of the Federal Constitution when it comes to protecting the rights of the minority races?

KJ may think he has the support of many Malaysians, but many questions remain unanswered. An Oxford degree may sway a lot of Malaysians, but would mean nothing without integrity, principles, and transparency. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.