Khairy confirms he won’t defend Rembau seat

By TEH ENG HOCK
enghock@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has confirmed speculation on social networking site Twitter that he will not defend his Rembau seat in the next general election.
When asked to verify the speculation that he might not contest in the 13th general election, Khairy replied “yes” via SMS.
He had earlier created quite a buzz in Twitter when he sent a tweet about taking a break from politics.
“Hope to help win more youth support for BN (Barisan Nasional) in 2011 & work hard preparing for elections. Then I’m taking a break from politics. Can’t wait,” Khairy wrote on Twitter.
His tweet generated much response from his followers who wondered if the Rembau MP was not going to defend his seat in the 13th general election.
“I would like to ‘stand down’ as they say in the UK. A couple of things I’d like to do before it gets too late,” tweeted Khairy in response to a follower who asked him what he meant by a “break”.
Asked how long he planned to be away from politics, Khairy replied: “Indefinite. Not sure what I will be doing. A few things I want to do like go back to school.”
Khairy first mentioned the possibility of not defending his seat in an interview with a newsportal last July.
At that time, he clarified his statement a day later, saying he was only mulling the possibility and that he had yet to make a firm decision on the matter.

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KJ mahu undur diri


SHAH ALAM - Ketua Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO, Khairy Jamaluddin membayangkan hasrat untuk tidak mempertahankan kerusi Parlimen Rembau pada pilihan raya umum akan datang.

Perkara itu disuarakan di laman Twitternya berbunyi "Harap dapat bantu raih sokongan belia untuk BN (Barisan Nasional) pada 2011 dan bekerja keras untuk menghadapi pilihan raya. Kemudian saya hendak berehat dari politik. Tidak sabar."

Kenyataan tersebut mendapat respon hebat daripada para pengikutnya yang tertanya-tanya sama ada Ahli Parlimen Rembau itu tidak akan mempertahankan kedudukannya kelak.

"Saya ingin ‘menarik diri’ seperti perumpamaan di United Kingdom. Beberapa perkara mahu saya lakukan sebelum terlambat."

Beliau bagaimanapun tidak menjawab mengenai tempoh ‘rehat'nya dari politik.

"Belum tahu (tempoh masa). Tak pasti apa yang akan saya lakukan. Beberapa perkara saya mahu lakukan seperti menyambung pelajaran," katanya.

Khairy sebelum ini pernah menyebut tentang kemungkinan untuk tidak mempertahankan kerusi parlimen Rembau menerusi satu temu bual bersama portal berita pada Julai lalu.

Ketika itu, beliau memperjelaskan kenyataannya pada sehari sebelum, yang mengatakan dia hanya mempertimbangkan kemungkinan tersebut dan belum lagi membuat keputusan berhubung perkara itu.

Khairy memenangi kerusi Parlimen Rembau dengan undi sebanyak 26,525 mengalahkan Badrul Hisham Shaharin (PKR) sebelum mengumumkan bertanding jawatan Ketua Pemuda UMNO.