KJ sifatkan ucapan Zahid amanat ‘PM in waiting’

Khairy Jamaluddin, a former Umno youth leader, interpreted President Zahid Hamidi's opening remarks as an endorsement of a "prime minister in waiting" who would provide clear direction and goals for the Barisan Nasional (BN) in preparation for the upcoming general election. The interpretation highlighted the speech as coming from someone positioned as a potential prime minister and an endorsement of a "government in waiting," according to Khairy when he met after attending the Umno General Assembly (PAU) 2026.

Zahid reiterated the call for early elections during his speech, confident that the party's blue wave would secure a fresh mandate to form the government. The blue wave, driven by Umno, was not merely to make the party a "cabinet assistant," but to regain the mandate to lead the nation. Meanwhile, former Umno deputy president Hishammuddin Hussein emphasized that the direction of Umno and the BN now rests entirely on their leadership's ability to revive the party and make it stronger.

He pointed out that the journey of any party includes times of decline and rise, as seen during the eight years prior which demonstrated the cyclical nature of politics. "When we go up, we are supported, praised, and encouraged. But when we go down, as we did eight years ago, we were ambushed, attacked, and slandered," he said, noting that these experiences were shared by the president as lessons and encouragement.

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah also welcomed the unifying message conveyed in the PAU gathering, urging former members to return to the party for the sake of a larger family. He called for unity and the need for many minds and energy to tackle the problems. Known affectionately as Ku Li, he viewed the presence of PAS leadership at the PAU as a positive development for national unity.

Subsequently, PAS Deputy President Idris Ahmad, Senior Vice Chairman Takiyuddin Hassan, and Head of Public Relations Ahmad Fadhli Shaari were also found attending the General Assembly.