'Umno no longer dominant,' Khir Toyo says over decision to join Bersatu

Summary

• Dr Khir Toyo joins Bersatu, effective July 1, citing that Umno was no longer the dominant party in government.

• Former Selangor MB says Bersatu has ambitions to be dominant, which is why he decided to join the party.

Former Selangor menteri besar Dr Khir Toyo has joined Bersatu, effective July 1.

Queried on his decision, Khir said it was due to the fact that Umno is no longer playing the role of a dominant party in the government.

“Win or lose (in the election), we leave it to God. However, if we want to become a dominant party, we must make an effort and contest in all seats.

“But if we keep hiding under the prime minister’s armpit, how are we to become dominant?

“And I see Bersatu has ambitions to become dominant. That’s why I joined them,” the former Umno man told Malaysiakini.

Earlier today, Free Malaysia Today reported Malacca Bersatu chief Rahim Tamby Chik as saying that Khir has joined his party.

The former Malacca chief minister said this on Facebook, with pictures of them having lunch with other individuals posted.

Umno pandering to Harapan

Taking aim at Umno, Khir accused the party of playing a “supplementary role” to Pakatan Harapan, predicting that BN would get fewer seats to contest in the next general election.

Citing the last Selangor state polls, Khir said Umno only got 12 seats to contest.

“They (Umno) will not get more seats than PKR. So, if you keep getting fewer parliamentary and state assembly seats, how can you become dominant?

“So, this is where I can’t see eye to eye on things,” he added.

Asked about his plans for the next general election, Khir said Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin had requested him to work with party secretary-general Azmin Ali and former minister Noh Omar to strategise ways to capture Selangor.

He also ruled out any possibility of him becoming Selangor menteri besar again.

“I’m already 60 years old. I just want the country to be on track for the next generation… that’s all.”

Khir served as Selangor menteri besar between 2008 and 2008, before losing the state to the then-Pakatan Rakyat coalition, with Abdul Khalid Ibrahim replacing him.

In September 2015, the Federal Court upheld his conviction and one-year jail sentence over graft charges for obtaining for himself and his wife two lots of land and a bungalow in Seksyen 7, Shah Alam, from Ditamas Sdn Bhd, through its director Shamsuddin Hayroni.

However, in March 2016, the former Sungai Panjang assemblyperson was released on parole after spending six months in Kajang Prison.

In the 15th general election, Khir tried to make a political comeback by indicating his interest in contesting the Sungai Besar parliamentary seat.

However, the BN leadership nominated Sungai Besar Umno division chief Jamal Yunos, who lost to a Perikatan Nasional candidate.

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