Shouldn T Neither Here Nor There Zaid Join Pas First Before Luring Kj Into The Islamist Party

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PERHAPS former law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim who is renowned for his turncoat tendency should lead by example when he mooted the idea that embattled former UMNO Youth chief-turned-podcaster Khairy Jamaluddin (KJ) join PAS if he wants to make a political comeback.
In his recent podcast, Zaid has gone on to justify that the Islamist party offers the best path for the three-term Rembau MP to return to Parliament with an eventual rise to power considering that forming a new party would be an uphill battle.
This has prompted PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan to tease the opposition-slant Zaid who himself is currently an UMNO member that it is him “who is more qualified” compared to KJ who was sacked from UMNO in January 2023 for disciplinary violations during the 15th General Election (GE15).

“Zaid (who was formerly the Kota Bahru UMNO division head) should have joined PAS which has bought over the Kelantan UMNO building owned by him,” HarakahDaily had quoted the Kota Bahru MP and Perikatan Nasional (PN) chief whip as saying.
“I invited Zaid to join PAS – whether his membership will be approved or otherwise is uncertain – yet he extends the invitation to KJ instead to join PAS.”
In his latest tweet, Zaid who made headlines as the former defence counsel of now incarcerated former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak has declined Takiyuddin’s offer to join PAS on grounds of lacking the energy to do so.
“I appreciate Takiyuddin’s offer to let me join PAS but unlike Tun M (twice former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad), I’m not physically strong enough to roam the country. Even walking nine holes is a struggle,” he asserted.

But this is seen more of an excuse given why must Zaid lobby for KJ to join PAS when he himself possesses tonnes of faith in PAS’ future. Could it be that he is testing the waters to see if PAS would offer him a position for brokering the entry of a ‘superstar candidate’ into the Islamist party?
“I was critical of PAS policies in the past, but I believe the party will change if it can attract good leaders like KJ. It’s the leaders that determine the party’s future, not the ideology,” admitted Zaid.
“I believe PAS – with some changes – can transform itself into an inclusive, responsible party with good policies for the country. The hatred shown by some quarters towards PAS is unnecessary.”
As for KJ, his prospect of a return to UMNO is seemingly shut as party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has hinted that both KJ and his Keluar Sekejap podcast co-host Shahril Hamdan can stay out of UMNO for good.

“Those who have left the party, please continue (to stay outside) … it’s also fine for those who keluar sekejap (exited briefly) to stay out forever,” the Deputy Prime Minister and Bagan Datuk MP told the Buletin TV3 podcast recently. – Focus Malaysia

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