What is Khairy’s game plan?
The enigmatic minister must decide which side of the fence he’s on.
Scott Ng, FMT
Our Youth and Sports Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin, is an enigma. He’s made a connection with the youth with an amity that his predecessors couldn’t achieve. He is steadfast in standing by the many talented athletes of our nation when they become subjected to controversy. He takes down extremists of all stripes when they attack the many communities that make up the colourful diversity of Malaysia. He is an inspiration for our youth.
Yet, it is hard not to see him as two-faced when he turns around to take the increasingly unpopular government line, much to the consternation of those looking towards Umno for signs of a better leadership someday. He builds up goodwill, then splurges it on defending his party president and the policies of the administration when he knows, as he must know, that his own stock falls whenever he does it. He never goes against the party line, even as he goes up against those who fan racial and communal sentiments.
This has caused many netizens to call him a “lalang”, bending wherever the wind blows, with no political backbone of his own. Perhaps the moniker is apt, given his propensity for vacillation between progressive reformer and adept defender of party, race, and religion. Khairy has a long way to go before he regains some measure of trust from some segments with the moderate and liberal votes.
However, even so, KJ must see the writing on the wall. Association with the Najib administration, and even more, defending it, is quickly becoming a lost cause. The people are restless. With each scandal, calls for Najib to step down grow louder even as the administration bumbles through its attempts to silence dissent and plug leaks. Khairy must be well aware of the warnings that if Najib continues as the Prime Minister, Umno may fall in the next general election.
So what is Khairy’s next move? After a carefully worded defence of the RM2.6 billion “donation” to Najib, Khairy seems to have done another about face with his proclamation that Umno as a party is “much more important than any single person”. He followed this up with two wishes – for his party to win the next general election and for it to save Malaysia.
