PETALING JAYA: It will be a great loss if Khairy Jamaluddin is dropped for the 15th General Election (GE15), says Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

The Umno supreme council member also described the former youth and sports minister as a key asset to ensure Barisan Nasional’s victory in GE15.

ALSO READ: Khairy says not defending Rembau in GE15, giving way to Tok Mat

“He (Khairy) has an aura that can attract younger voters, especially first time voters and those eligible under Undi18.

“Given the dynamics of this new group of voters, Khairy’s presence can also steer both Umno and Barisan to victory in GE15,” he said in a statement Sunday (Sept 4).

Earlier Sunday, Khairy said he may not contest in the upcoming general election if Barisan deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan decides to run in the Rembau parliamentary seat.

“The worst-case scenario is that I don’t contest, it’s fine. It’s okay, I’m alright,” said Khairy during a press conference during the closing ceremony of the Organ Donation Awareness week.

The three-term Rembau MP was responding to Mohamad, who recently hinted that he could contest the Rembau parliamentary seat and defend the Rantau state seat in GE15.

He added that Mohamad spoke about contesting the Rembau seat several times, most recently during a speech last year and then in a recent message conveyed by the Umno deputy.

On Sept 3, Mohamad, who is the Rantau assemblyman, told reporters during an event in Rembau that as Umno deputy president, he needed to contest a parliamentary seat to play a role at the federal level.

However, he did not specify which parliamentary seat he wanted to contest, adding that potential candidates to stand in Negri Sembilan have also not been discussed by Barisan yet.