Khairy, who was sacked from Umno in January, pointed out that Perikatan Nasional’s Bersatu and PAS had never really said anything negative about him.

“On a personal note… they don’t really say anything bad about me.

“But if you see the comments from people in Umno and (those in) PH, it’s not just fair criticism. It’s personal until today.

“That, on a psychological level, has a strong bearing on what I might do or what I might not do,” he said in an episode of the “Keluar Sekejap” podcast.

The former Rembau MP had been expelled from Umno for allegedly acting against the party’s interests.

During the November 2022 general election, Khairy tried to position himself as an “Umno reformist”, claiming that the party had lost its way and must “go back to its roots”.

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin had publicly offered Khairy a seat on the party’s Supreme Council, saying he believed the former Umno Youth chief could contribute to the party.

Khairy then said he needed time to consider Muhyiddin’s offer, adding that he did not want to rush his political comeback despite the upcoming elections in six states.

We are live on Telegram, subscribe here for breaking news and the latest announcements.