Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has promised to form a BN shadow cabinet if he becomes party president.

By convention, the Umno president also chairs the BN coalition.

Khairy is one of seven candidates vying for the position of president in the Umno election on June 30. His stiffest challengers for the post are acting president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and party veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.

The promise is part of Khairy's manifesto for the party election.

"The shadow cabinet will not only be check and balance to the current Pakatan Harapan cabinet, but will also come up with alternative policy ideas and suggestions for their respective portfolios," he said in a Facebook posting.

Khairy also pledged that the opposition leader will be voted for by BN MPs, instead of defaulting to who chairs the coalition. 

"The Umno president, who is also the BN chairperson, will not necessarily automatically become the opposition leader.

"Let BN MPs decide who they feel is best to lead them in the Dewan Rakyat. Merit must be considered, not merely seniority."

Two more vice-presidents

In his posting, Khairy also said that if he assumes the presidency, he will propose the creation of two more Umno vice-president positions – one reserved for a woman and another for a Sabahan.

He also hopes to make the triennial Umno election compulsory with no possibility of postponement – currently common practice when approaching general elections.

"There will also not be any more motion or effort to prevent contest for any positions in Umno," he said.

Khairy also proposed forming a council comprising professionals, academics and activists to provide input to the Umno leadership.