KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s presence at yesterday’s meeting on Malaysia’s economy chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim shows the current government’s openness, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said today.

In discouraging speculation about the matter, Khaled, who is also an Umno vice-president, reportedly said: "Do not read too much into it. The government led by Anwar is showing its openness to meet and accept views from various quarters.

"This is why he (Anwar) invited Khairy to the meeting and I believe Khairy will use such an opportunity to deliver his views on how to fix and improve Malaysia’s economy,” the Kota Tinggi MP was quoted saying by local daily The Star.

Yesterday, Anwar in a Facebook post said he had held discussions that day with economists, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani and Khairy regarding Malaysia’s economy.

Anwar said the meeting was part of the government’s ongoing efforts to obtain ideas and views on the economy, but did not state what role Khairy played in the meeting.

Johari, who is also one of Umno’s three vice-presidents, was previously the second finance minister during Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration.

Others present at yesterday’s meeting were Malaysian Economic Research Institute (MIER) chairman Nungsari Ahmad Radhi, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Malaysian Inclusive Development and Advancement Institute (MINDA-UKM) director Tan Sri Noor Azlan Ghazali, Treasury secretary-general Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican and Economy Ministry secretary-general Datuk Nor Azmie Diron.

Khairy was sacked from Umno in January this year, and remains unaffiliated to any political party since then.

Today, federal opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) chairman and opposition party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Bersatu has already expressed its offer for Khairy to join the party and that it is now up to the latter to decide.

Muhyiddin today said he will meet Khairy next week on Bersatu’s offer for him to contest a seat.

Last month, Muhyiddin said Khairy will be appointed to Bersatu’s supreme council if he joins the party.