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Faizal said Khairy is a capable leader who still has a role to play in the nation’s development. The former Umno Youth chief could even start his own party and many would sign up, he said.
“My advice to Khairy is this: time waits for no man, brother,” the former Perak menteri besar said in an interview with FMT.
Faizal acknowledged that Khairy is faced with a difficult decision, and said his party respects the former health minister’s right to take time to consider his options.
“But I truly believe he knows for a fact that Perikatan Nasional is the way forward,” he said.
On Monday, Khairy said he needed time to consider Muhyiddin’s offer. He said he did not want to rush his political comeback despite upcoming elections in six states.
He thanked the PN chairman and Bersatu president for the offer, but said his return to politics must be based on his own political aspirations, and not dictated by emotion or the need for revenge.
Muhyiddin had publicly offered Khairy a seat on the Bersatu Supreme Council last week, saying he believed the former minister could contribute to the party.
Khairy, a former MP for Rembau, was expelled from Umno in January for allegedly acting against the party’s interests.
During the November 2022 general election, Khairy tried to position himself as an “Umno reformist”, claiming that the party had lost its way and must “go back to its roots”.
He said he wanted to make Umno a party the Malays could be proud of again.
In GE15, he narrowly lost the contest for the Sungai Buloh parliamentary seat, a Pakatan Harapan stronghold, to PKR’s R Ramanan by 2,693 votes.
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