KUALA LUMPUR: Khairy Jamaluddin today dismissed Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s endorsement of him to be Umno’s next president as nothing more than a jibe.
“Mahathir is always sarcastic. Maybe he is dissing me,” the Umno Youth chief said at a function.
Last week, Khairy announced that he would contest for one of the three vice-presidents’ posts.
Umno is holding its party elections this month, the first in almost three years, with open contests for all positions. Acting party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has announced he would contest the party presidency, while Negeri Sembilan Umno leader Mohamad Hasan is contesting the deputy presidency.
The others who are contesting the vice-presidency are Perlis Umno leader Shahidan Kassim, former education minister Mahdzir Khalid, and Pasir Salak Umno leader Tajuddin Abdul Rahman.
Nominations for the Umno party elections are open until June 17.