PETALING JAYA, February 21 — Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin says the odds of Deputy Prime Minister and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi becoming the next prime minister are “shortening rapidly” amid internal disputes within other political parties.
Speaking on the “Keluar Sekejap” podcast, Khairy described Zahid’s prospects as moving from “improbable to quite probable,” noting that Umno appears relatively stable and capable of managing its internal disagreements effectively.
Khairy added that with 20 to 30 parliamentary seats, Umno could play a decisive role in determining whether Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim remains in power after the next general election. He argued that more political figures currently have issues with Anwar than with Zahid.
Pointing to tensions involving opposition leaders and figures such as Rafizi Ramli, while suggesting that strategic timing of elections and potential state-level victories could further strengthen Umno’s position.
