Perak Umno secretary Aminuddin Md Hanafiah said Khairy’s performance as a minister had shown that he is prime minister material.

“Even looking at Khairy from back then, I knew one day he will be there (at the top), it’s just that the system in Umno requires him to climb the party ladder first,” Aminuddin told FMT.

He added that victory in Sungai Buloh, a mixed constituency, would show that Khairy was accepted by all Malaysians.

“Looking at the response from the people of Sungai Buloh (towards Khairy), I don’t think even R Sivarasa (the previous Sungai Buloh MP who retained the seat in 2018 with a significant majority) would want to contest there,” he said.

He added that as urban voters, the people in Sungai Buloh valued performance and this was where Khairy had an advantage.

“If the people in Sungai Buloh give him the chance to succeed, be their representative and be made minister again, why not?” he said.

Khairy had said on Wednesday that he was ready to lead the country and become prime minister some day.

Khairy made the declaration on Wednesday while campaigning in Sungai Buloh, where he faces R Ramanan of Pakatan Harapan; Ghazali Hamin (Perikatan Nasional); Akmal Yusoff (Pejuang); Ahmad Jufliz Faiza (Parti Rakyat Malaysia) and independent candidates Nurhaslinda Basri and Syed Abdul Razak Long Alsagoff.

Aminuddin is BN’s candidate in Tambun, in a contest that pits PKR president Anwar Ibrahim against Perikatan Nasional deputy chief Ahmad Faizal Azumu. The fourth candidate in the running is Abdul Rahim Tahir of Pejuang.