PETALING JAYA: Ismail Sabri Yaakob has given Khairy Jamaluddin his backing to become prime minister one day, saying the former Umno Youth chief is qualified for the top post.
The prime minister noted that Khairy’s time was “not now but one day in the future”.
“If we win the general election (in the future) and he gets the support of the party… He deserves to be the prime minister in the future,” Ismail told reporters at a press conference here.
At a ceramah last night, Khairy voiced his aspiration to become prime minister of Malaysia “one day”, but he also stressed that he wanted to prove himself first in Sungai Buloh.
However, Khairy, who has never made his ambitions known until now, conceded that his announcement could also force the Umno leadership to “cut me off”.
Meanwhile, Ismail promised that Barisan Nasional’s Ayer Hitam candidate Wee Ka Siong will be reappointed to the Cabinet if the coalition emerged victorious in the general election.
Ismail warned voters that DAP would control the government if Pakatan Harapan took Putrajaya, adding that this happened during its 22 months in power eventhough then prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, was a Malay.
“One vote for PH is one vote for DAP,” he said.
The Umno vice-president also paid tribute to MCA for staying with BN despite its defeat in the 2018 general election, saying some parties like Gerakan had deserted the coalition.
