COMMENT | Khairy, stop sulking and grow up

COMMENT | Dear Khairy Jamaluddin, not to worry. This is not a Khairy-bashing article. So, relax but don’t expect to read a boot-licking piece too.

First of all, allow me to say this to Khairy (above). You have done well as an administrator and a minister but fared miserably as a politician because you still carry the “Umno DNA” around.

That was particularly glaring in your recent silly, childish manoeuvres over the Rembau seat issue. That stinks and is sad at the same time.

I’m not sure if this is the first time I’ve “handled” Khairy as a subject in my column. I believe that I’ve hardly “tackled” Khairy in my writing.

It isn’t because Khairy is not interesting or controversial enough to talk or write about. It’s because the minister has been doing well and if things are running smoothly, don’t rock the boat. Leave the man alone to continue with what he does best, that’s my philosophy.

But I do have a message for Khairy now. In fact, I’ve written about it a week ago in my column in the New Sarawak Tribune. It was related to an article about Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan, better known as Tok Mat.

The two paragraphs with reference to Khairy read - “Tok Mat is expected to contest the Rembau parliamentary seat, now held by Khairy. Even before Tok Mat has announced which seat he wanted, a sulking Khairy has said that he was told by Tok Mat to make way for him in Rembau.

“To Khairy, I say - Stop sulking, grow up, be a man. Tok Mat is your Umno boss and also the division chairperson in Rembau. Go lobby for another seat yourself. Your father-in-law, Pak Lah (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi), is no longer in power to do the lobbying for you. If you want to contest again in GE15, go find another seat”.

The latest rumours about Khairy contesting for the Alor Setar parliamentary seat in GE15 is a sound idea and a way out for the Umno man if MCA could be persuaded to give up its traditional seat in Kedah.

And Khairy, there is no need to stake a claim for Alor Setar because “my mother is from Kedah”.

Why not claim Penang too because your wife is from Penang? There will be no end to such meaningless “claims”. Just go out and lobby for the seat you are interested in. It’s okay to fight tooth and nail for it - if you must.

The thing with Khairy (and he knows it too) is that he is a definite asset to Umno – being young, more experienced and mature now and most importantly, a performer.

That being the case, the party will want him to contest and continue to play his role in the party and government. Rightly so too.

It is true that from the younger set in Umno, Khairy shines like a beacon and it is because he knows how to handle a job well if given one. No one should take that credit away from him.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob appointed Khairy to helm the all-important Health Ministry in August last year for a very good reason.

After the lacklustre “warm water” fellow, the prime minister knew he needed a “dynamic doer” to tackle the pandemic.

Appointing Khairy to helm the Health Ministry and getting rid of his “Sleepy Joe” predecessor was about the only positive change we see in Ismail Sabri’s cabinet. Seriously, I can’t think of any other significant changes or reforms by Ismail Sabri worth talking about.

Be better, Khairy

So, why did I request Khairy to stop sulking over the Rembau seat? Oh yes, he was sulking although he wouldn’t admit it.

Because I honestly want Khairy to “grow up” politically quickly and get rid of the dreaded “Umno DNA”. He is better than most of his peers in the party and I expect him to rise above them in how he handles adversities he may face now and later.

Telling the world that he was told to make way for Mohamad in Rembau in a tone/manner that made Khairy sound like a crybaby is most childish and silly.

That was even seen as a feeble challenge against his party’s deputy president. Worse, Khairy’s public outcry was a familiar but sickening Umno move at arousing sympathy for himself from boot-lickers within the party. 

No, Khairy, there was no need for such an immature act – acting like a wronged man looking for sympathy and after having obtained it, state gallantly that you would handle the Rembau issue in private.

Why? You should have spoken to your party leadership, Mohamad in particular, right from the beginning and resolve it there and then. But you chose to go round the Umno circles first.

Khairy, there are two things you should never forget if you are up for a fight with Mohamad.

One, he is the Umno deputy president and your boss. You failed to win the party presidency but he won the number two post in the last party election.

Secondly, Mohamad is 66 years old - 20 years older than you. There is also such a thing as respecting the elder, even in the unfriendly and pretentious world of politics.

Then, of course, you must also be aware of the virtue of patience. Learn it wholeheartedly and practise it.

Mohamad has already declared that if Umno fails to win GE15, he would retire from politics. It would well be his first and last parliamentary contest. I believe it is only fair for Khairy to support him for now.

Let us be honest. Both men harbour the ambition to reach the pinnacle of power but there is only one prime minister post.

Going into GE15, assuming it is a tussle in Umno between Mohamad and Khairy, the choice is obvious and for obvious reasons too.

I know Liz Truss is only 47 and was already elected the British prime minister. So was Barack Obama in 2008 when he became the US president.

But this is not the UK or US. In Malaysia, Khairy, we dutifully and patiently wait for our turn.

FRANCIS PAUL SIAH is a veteran Sarawak editor and heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS). He can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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