KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin attended a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today to discuss the trajectory of the country’s economy.
It was not stated what role Khairy, whom Umno sacked in January, played in the meeting that Anwar said was for his administration’s efforts to generate potential solutions to the country’s development.
“This evening, I held discussions on the direction of the country’s economy with economists, Datuk Seri Johari Ghani, and Khairy Jamaluddin,” Anwar said in a Facebook post this evening.
Umno vice-president Johari was previously the second finance minister during Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration.
Others present 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.
The prime minister said it was the consensus at the meeting that the country was running out of time to correct the course of its economy and address obstacles in its way.
However, he pledged that his administration would remain committed to steering Malaysia towards inclusive and sustainable development.
It is unclear how Khairy’s appearance at such a high-profile meeting with Anwar will affect the latter's relationship with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who was the prime mover behind Khairy’s expulsion from Umno.
Prior to his expulsion, Khairy had openly expressed ambitions to be both the Umno president and the prime minister eventually.
Khairy has remained unaffiliated since his sacking, but has been courted by the Perikatan Nasional coalition to be one of its flagbearers for the Selangor state election expected by August.
