Khairy supports BN decision not to contest Penanti

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid, The Malaysian Insider

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin prides himself on being part of a party that marches to the beat of its own drum, with reference to the Barisan Nasional’s (BN) supreme council decision against contesting in the Penanti by-election.

“The decision made today shows we do not bow down to the games of any parties,” he told reporters after attending the ruling coalition’s supreme council meeting.

Although some BN leaders including former president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad have urged the ruling coalition against handing a free win to Pakatan Rakyat, others including current Mahathir-endorsed BN president Datuk Seri Najib Razak insist that contesting at Penanti would only give the opposition what it wants – a chance to humiliate BN further after the ruling coalition suffered back-to-back defeats in recent by-elections.

Like Najib, Khairy however is adamant that such is not the case.

“We from the BN believe that it is better to focus on improving the country’s economy rather than getting involved in all this politicking,” Khairy said further.

The decision made by the BN supreme council is also the first time the ruling coalition has backed down from a fight in the country’s electoral history, a decision many observers say is likely to invite a typical Mahathir-esque criticism in the near future.