PETALING JAYA: Opposition members of parliament lament the potential loss of a good MP following the announcement by health minister Khairy Jamaluddin that he would not defend his Rembau parliamentary seat in the coming general election.

Khairy has been the Rembau MP of 15 years for a total of three terms.

In the worst-case scenario he is not running in the 15th general election.

Sim Tze Tzin, Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s MP for Bayan Baru, describes Khairy as an outstanding minister.

Sim tweeted that he felt for Khairy, an MP who has served for 15 years but is not going to be fielded in the coming election while Najib’ son is picked as an election candidate.

The tweet highlights the problem with political parties in selecting their election candidates., an issue which can be sensitive.

“Each party has its procedures of selecting candidates. The basic criteria is a candidate’s capability of securing victory in election. Other consideration is whether the candidate is a local resident and the strategies adopted to introduce a new candidate.

“In the end, the party president will have the final say on the choice of candidates,” Sim said.

“This is also the reason why Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has wanted to defer the party election after the 15th general election so that he can decide whom to field in the election,” he said.

Despite not having a perfect mechanism in selecting election candidates, the procedure can be carried out in a better way, he added.

“Political parties should have a more transparent and fair process of selecting election candidates towards a more mature democracy and the healthy development of political parties,” he said.

Former health minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad found it hard to believe that Khairy might not be fielded in the coming election.

“Did I hear it correctly?” he asked.

Despite differences in political views, Dzulkefly said it is not a good sign to drop a young leader while the nation is short of capable leaders.

Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh suggested that Khairy be fielded to contest the Putrajaya parliamentary seat.

“Let the one who has a lot of pocket money to give way. Also let the Education Minister who is a senator to fight all the end,” she said.

It was reported that Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohammad Hasan has set his eyes on Rembau of which Khairy is the MP.