Mazlan Ali from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia said Khairy would be able to rally voters both in Malay and mixed areas, based on the former Umno Youth chief’s performance in past polls.

Khairy was Rembau MP from 2008 to 2022. He ran in Sungai Buloh for Umno in the 15th general election, losing by a slim margin with 48,250 votes against 50,943 for PKR’s R Ramanan.

Mazlan said Khairy’s image as a “fairly progressive” politician improves his chances of victory.

“He is best suited to run in mixed areas, or where there are many ‘progressive Malays’. Look at how he almost beat Ramanan in Sungai Buloh,” he told FMT.

Speculation has swirled over possible seats for Khairy, even though he has said it is premature to talk about such matters as the decision lies with Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

On Friday, he dismissed rumours that he would contest the Kepala Batas parliamentary seat in the next general election as his late father-in-law and former long-serving Kepala Batas MP, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, had told him to leave the seat to Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

The Rembau seat is now held by Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan. PKR vice-president Ramanan is expected to defend Sungai Buloh.

Khairy has expressed his intention to seek reinstatement of his Umno membership in Sungai Buloh.

His application to rejoin Umno will be discussed at the party’s Supreme Council meeting on April 17, with a decision expected the same day.

Khairy’s popularity among the public has increased since his defeat after establishing himself as a radio announcer and a co-host of the Keluar Sekejap podcast with fellow ex-Umno man Shahril Hamdan.

Syaza Shukri from International Islamic University Malaysia noted that much has been said about Khairy’s unique, cross-party appeal as a moderate.

“We know he is strongest in urban and mixed areas,” she told FMT.