Khairy: Polls after March will allow people to see impact of Budget
PETALING JAYA: A general election held after March will augur well for voters because they can see the promises made under Budget 2018, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said.
Khairy, the youngest member in the Cabinet, said the Government would need “a little bit more time” to implement several development projects, including those under his Youth and Sports Ministry.
“I think it’s best if the polls is held after March because we need to implement several projects.
“We know that the Government has made announcements under the Budget recently but for projects such as a sports complex, the people would want to see the ground-breaking ceremony.
“They (voters) want to see something is happening. This is my personal view,” said the Youth and Sports Minister in a special interview in the run-up to the Umno General Assembly next week.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had earlier hinted that elections might be held after Chinese New Year on Feb 16, telling his constituents in Bagan Datuk to expect a “hari besar” (a big day).
In 2008, Parliament was dissolved on Feb 13, six days after Chinese New Year, with polling held March 8.
This year’s Umno General Assembly, said Khairy, would be the most important meeting before elections.
He added that the Youth wing was in its last stage of preparation for the polls.
Party president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, he said, had given the most attention to the selection of candidates for the polls.
“If we field a candidate that’s not acceptable, we are worried that the Malays will punish us. But if we put a winnable candidate – we give opportunities to those with integrity – they will vote for us,” Khairy said.
One of the crucial factors for Umno in the polls, he said, would be the party’s choice of candidates.
“If the president fields the best candidates in all levels, we will already have contained a big part of the challenge ahead,” he said.
He admitted that it would not be easy to win the hearts of the young voters and to convince them that the polls would be a crucial fight in determining not only their future but also that of the next generation.
“It is important to show that there’s a lot of things at stake concerning our country’s future. It’s also because Vision 2020 is coming to an end and we will transition to Transformation 2050.
“We have to tell them that the Government is not only thinking about next year or the two or three years after that, but the next 30 years,” he said.
“But it takes time to bring transformation and the populist goodies will not be good for us.”
He also hoped that the Government would come up with a special segment for the youths in the election manifesto for Barisan Nasional as first-time voters would make up at least 20%.
Khairy, who has held the top Umno Youth post for two terms and previously indicated that he was unlikely to defend it in the next party polls, said he only joined with the intention to modernise and make the wing more contemporary for the younger generation.
“I think I have successfully done so because I don’t hear of any Umno youth being labelled as racists or conducting political stunts that can embarrass the party.
“We are working more towards providing service to the people – conducting jobs fairs, talks, something that some may see as not sexy,” he said, adding that he hoped the next leadership would remain on the same trajectory.