REMBAU: Umno's Khairy Jamaluddin (pic) has admonished Johor party deputy chief Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed for being openly critical of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
The Health Minister said Nur Jazlan's statement against the Prime Minister was unnecessary and would not in any way benefit Umno.
"The statement by Nur Jazlan, the former Pulai MP, who is also my friend, will not in any way help Umno.
"Why do you need to make such a statement when you have other avenues to do so?" he asked.
Khairy was asked to comment on the perception that Umno was divided following statements critical of Ismail Sabri.
He said making such statements could work against the party especially with the general election not too far away.
He said with a maximum one year to go before polls need to be called, Umno members should show a united front to convince voters why the party should be their choice.
"I myself used to make many comments against other leaders in Umno previously, but now is a time to strengthen Umno.
"If you do not agree about something, there are channels you can use such as during meetings or privately.
"It is pointless to openly make comments which are not constructive as this will only weaken us," he told reporters after opening the otorhinolaryngology centre and sleep lab at the Rembau Hospital.
Nur Jazlan had been reported as saying that Ismail Sabri was Umno’s weakest prime minister ever for supposedly delaying a decision on the ministerial post of Plantation industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin.
Nur Jazlan had also described the delay as a "mess" and claimed that Ismail Sabri was being held to ransom by other individuals.
Khairy said the rakyat wanted a strong party which was able to look into the well-being of the people.
"They will not support a party whose members are not united and always at odds.
"We also saw this during the recent state elections where members of a certain party which showed they were not very united were eventually rejected by voters," he added.
