Should he win the Umno presidency in the party elections tomorrow, Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar has vowed to make the party a force to be reckoned with in Parliament.

Speaking to Penang Umno last night, Khairy roused the members and told them not lose faith in the party.

“We need to quickly revive Umno after the June 30 (party elections) because in two weeks we will have a Dewan Rakyat sitting. If I win (the presidency) the first thing I will do is organise our Parliament team.

“We are entering Parliament not as a team that has lost, but as the second biggest party in the House. So do not be sad or give up… we are a party that has dignity and pride.

“When we discuss things (in Parliament), let us do so as ‘lions’ roaring in the Dewan Rakyat… let us roar for the rakyat,” Bernama quoted him as saying at an event in Butterworth.

Khairy, who is the Rembau MP, added that if Umno was able to prove itself in Parliament, the Malays would return their support for the party.

'Not a popularity contest'

Asked how he could be perceived as the “celebrity” candidate for the party’s top post, Khairy pointed to his party election manifesto.

“What is the point of being a popular Umno presidential candidate if I do not get the support, and (if) I am unable to bring a drastic change to the party?

“I am not using my popularity. I’m putting more emphasis on the manifesto, which is to bring changes to the party and restructure it.

“What is important is the direction of the party,” he answered.

Among the promises comprised in his manifesto for rebuilding Umno following its thumping loss in the 14th general election are to ensure that party polls are held triannually without fail, with all posts up for contestation.

He has also vowed to create two extra vice-presidential posts, reserved for a woman leader and a Sabahan leader.

He will further form a shadow cabinet, appoint an Opposition leader based on merit rather than seniority alone and set up a council of experts to advise the party.

'Not contesting to split votes'

Khairy, 42, is the party’s incumbent Youth chief and is the youngest candidate vying to be Umno president.

The other four candidates are the party’s acting president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Bandar Tun Razak’s Mohamed Iqbal Maricair and Iskandar Puteri’s Mohd Yusof Musa @ Jamaluddin.

Should he lose his bid, Khairy promised to remain in Umno to defend the rights of the Malays.

“Some have said that if I lose I will leave Umno. Others have said that I am only contesting to split the votes. There has been no discussion about splitting votes.

“And if I jump ship to other parties, Pak Lah (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) will slap me,” he said.

Abdullah, a former Umno president and prime minister, is also Khairy’s father-in-law.