Khairy: Umno, PAS need to decide on common principles and not just play up race and religion

PETALING JAYA: Umno and PAS must decide what its common principles are and not just play up issues of race and religion to win elections, says former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

The Rembau MP suggested that the shared principles must be inclusive and based on commitment towards Malaysia as a multiracial country.

"My position on Umno and PAS is that we have to sit down and discuss what our common principles are.

"We can't just get together and decide to play on issues of race and religion to win elections. We have to be based on more than that.

"If Umno decides to continue to work together with PAS and, at the same time with MCA and MIC, it must be based on certain core principles which are committed towards Malaysia as a multiracial country," he told reporters after speaking at the Malaysia Strategy Financial Outlook Summit at a hotel here Tuesday (Mar 12).

Khairy, who had previously voiced his opposition to the Umno-PAS cooperation, said Barisan Nasional has agreed to set up a committee to look into cooperation between its three component parties as well as Umno’s current cooperation with PAS.

"If we look previously at the cooperation between PAS, PKR and DAP, they came up with certain principles on why they were cooperating.

"It's critical we also identify what our shared principles are. We can come together and decide we stand for the principles of economic justice and the creation of more job opportunities for all Malaysians.

"That's a more inclusive approach. If we say we work together because we want votes from the Malay and Muslim community based on issues of race and religion, then that's not going to be good," said the former youth and sports minister.

On the upcoming April 13 Rantau by-election, Khairy said he will be campaigning to ensure former three-term Rantau assemblyman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan's win.

"For the purposes of the by-election, of course I have to campaign for Umno and Barisan.

"He's the (Rembau Umno) division chief, I'm the deputy division chief, I have to make sure that he wins," he said.

The Rantau by-election was triggered following the Federal Court's decision to uphold an earlier ruling by an Election Court to nullify Rantau’s results in the 14th General Election (GE14).

In GE14, Mohamad won the state seat in Negri Sembilan unopposed.

Election Court judge Azimah Omar allowed an election petition filed by Pakatan Harapan candidate Dr S. Streram, who was denied entry to submit his nomination form due to the absence of a tag or pass.

Dr Streram had sought for a by-election to be held for the seat on grounds that Mohamad's election was not valid.