SHAH ALAM - Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin is reportedly gearing up to make his political comeback, with sources confirming that he has received the green light to rejoin Umno ahead of the Sabah state election scheduled for the end of next month.
According to Malay Daily Berita Harian, the signal of approval came directly from Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who personally conveyed his "blessings" to Khairy during the wedding of Perlis Umno Liaison Committee chairman Datuk Rozabil Abdul Rahman’s daughter, last Sunday (Oct 26).
"At the meeting, Zahid himself told Khairy to submit his membership form to rejoin Umno.
"Khairy is also expected to assist Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) in the upcoming Sabah state election, as several of the party’s candidates are around his age and long-time political peers," a party source told Berita Harian.
The source added that Khairy, who is currently Hot FM's radio presenter and the Keluar Sekejap podcast host, was being considered as a potential Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate in the next general election.
He may contest the Kepala Batas parliamentary seat, a constituency with strong family ties, as it was once held by his late father-in-law, former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
However, another party source clarified that Umno has yet to receive any official application from Khairy to return.
"But his reentry would certainly inject new momentum into the party’s direction, especially as Umno works to regain Malay support among the younger generation," the source was reported saying.
Khairy’s potential return marked a significant shift in Umno’s internal dynamics.
He was sacked from the party in January 2023 after openly criticising the leadership during the 15th General Election campaign.
Despite his expulsion, Khairy repeatedly stressed his loyalty to Umno and rejected the idea of joining any other political party.
During GE15, Khairy contested the Sungai Buloh parliamentary seat under BN but lost to Pakatan Harapan’s Datuk Seri R. Ramanan.
Khairy first rose to prominence under the administration of Datuk Seri Najib Razak as Youth and Sports Minister, where he received praise for successfully organising the 2017 SEA Games and launching the National Sports Council’s Podium Programme aimed at achieving Malaysia’s Olympic gold dream.
He later served as Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, playing a crucial role in developing the MySejahtera app and managing vaccine procurement during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Under the leadership of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Khairy was appointed Health Minister, leading the nation’s massive vaccination drive.