I am bound by Umno supreme council’s decision — Khairy

KUALA LUMPUR: Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin said he would abide by any decision made during the Umno Supreme Council meeting today regarding the party’s stance on its political cooperation with Bersatu.

Khairy, in a press conference here yesterday said that ultimately, the decisionmaking in Umno rested on the shoulders of its Supreme Council members.

When asked whether he would resign from his post as Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation should the Supreme Council decide that the party withdraw from the government, he replied: “Well if my party decides at the Supreme Council...”.

“... but if the Supreme Council decides, and instructs for Umno members to withdraw ( from the government), as an Umno member, I am of course bound by the decision of the Supreme Council,” he added.

Umno will be tabling a motion at its Supreme Council meeting today on whether or not to cooperate with Bersatu in the 15th General Election (GE15).

On Monday, Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub announced he would resign as the chairman of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board ( MPOB) effective Jan 6, 2021, and it was reported that he had said he was ready to resign from the post if the Perikatan Nasional ( PN) government did not dissolve Parliament by the end of January.

On whether the rumours surrounding Umno at this time showed instability within the party, Khairy said differing views among members was normal in any political party.

“We will stand guided by the decision of our Supreme Council tomorrow. At the end of the day, we are a political party and we have to have some form of discipline. If the highest decision- making body in Umno which is the supreme council decides so, then it is so.

“If you don’t agree with that, then you have to leave the party. That’s all there is to it,” he said.

Meanwhile, when asked whether he was open to cooperating with other parties, Khairy repeated his stance of agreeing with the decision by the Umno Supreme Council on not having any form of cooperation with DAP or PKR. – Bernama