The science, technology and innovation minister said he will quit the Cabinet if instructed to do so.

“If the Supreme Council decides and instructs for Umno members to withdraw (from the Cabinet), then as an Umno member I am bound by that decision,” the former Umno Youth chief said at a press conference today.

The party’s highest decision-making body will meet tomorrow to discuss its cooperation with PPBM in the PN government.

Sources had earlier revealed that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told all of the party’s MPs to resign from their posts in the government and government-linked companies by the end of the month.

He allegedly made the announcement in a meeting with all Umno division leaders at the Putra World Trade Centre today, in order for the next general election (GE15) to be held as soon as possible.

“There are differing views in Umno right now, just as with any other party, but we stand guided by the decision of the Supreme Council.

“At the end of the day we are a political party and we have to have some form of discipline,” Khairy said.

He added that he stood by the Supreme Council’s decision against working with DAP and PKR, while any future cooperation with PPBM still needs to be discussed within the party.

Commenting on Annuar Musa being removed as Barisan Nasional secretary-general earlier today, Khairy said the move was at the sole discretion of the coalition’s chairman, Zahid.

“Of course it was within his rights to change the secretary-general. Whether it was fair or not is a political question that will be answered in the next couple of days,” he said.