Keen for KJ to join Perikatan

PETALING JAYA: If Khairy Jamaluddin (pic) joins Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), he will be made a supreme council member right away as he comes with experience, said Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

So far, the former Health Minister and Rembau MP has not applied yet to join, but he has been offered, said the Perikatan Nasional chairman, of which Bersatu is a component.

“Everyone hopes KJ (as Khairy is well known) will join Perikatan.

“He has met me before, and we have discussed it. He has not applied to join Perikatan, but I offered it to him. The offer still stands. I had recently asked him again about the offer. We are not pushing, but we hope he will join us to strengthen our party and coalition.

“I have not offered him any other positions, and he knows what politics is. Leadership will discuss, but if he does join, we will offer him a supreme council position,” said Muhyiddin at a press conference yesterday.

He was speaking to the media after handing over research grants to Institut Masa Depan Malaysia (Masa), a research body of the party.

Muhyiddin also stated that he is worried about the rising percentage of the lower-income B40 group due to increases in the cost of living.

“I have yet to hear any hopeful news from the government on how to help them. We know what should be done to solve their problems, and I did my part when I was heading the government.

“If I propose solutions, the government may ‘steal my ideas’. They have their team of experts, and they should just focus on the economy and deliver on their promises. I do not want to teach the clever Prime Minister what should be done,” said Muhyiddin.

He said the government should work with the civil servants and private sectors to repair the economy and deliver on its promises to improve the living standards of the people.

On the proposed revocation of subsidies for electricity tariffs for heavy domestic consumers, Muhyiddin said he is not opposed to it, but such decisions must be made after studying the consequences.

“The Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister may bring the proposal (to increase tariffs), but it is the Cabinet that decides. We were very careful with our decisions (when we were the government), even though it may have saved us billions. We have to study the consequences of such decisions and whether they should be made gradually,” said Muhyiddin.

On the social media buzz that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is trying to make peace with PAS President Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, Muhyiddin said, “It is not right for me to comment on something I have no full information about.”