The former health minister said he has not considered joining another political party after being sacked from Umno two years ago.

He said a report quoting Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as telling those who “keluar sekejap” (exited briefly) from the party to continue staying out was “an interesting suggestion”.

“But I haven’t quite thought about where I want to go from here on out,” he told reporters after launching a programme by Pertiwi, an NGO, at the Kuala Lumpur Library.

Last Sunday, Zahid said it was better for Umno to move forward with smaller numbers rather than having to deal with members who were a “pain in the neck”.

Khairy and ex-information chief Shahril Hamdan started the “Keluar Sekejap” podcast in 2023, discussing political, social and other contemporary issues.

Khairy was sacked from Umno in January 2023 for breaching party discipline during the 15th general election. Shahril, on the other hand, was given a six-year suspension in August 2022.

As for former law minister Zaid Ibrahim’s proposal for him to join PAS, Khairy said he was open to the suggestion but was “in no rush”.

Zaid last Saturday suggested that the former Rembau MP join PAS if he wants to make a political comeback, saying the party offers him the best path for a return to Parliament and eventual rise to power.

Analyst Syaza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia, however, said Khairy would be betraying his principles if he were to follow Zaid’s advice and join the Islamic party.