KUALA SELANGOR, Nov 13 — Caretaker Defense Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein dispelled any allegations that Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is unhappy with the party’s Sungai Buloh candidate Khairy Jamaluddin.

“Nobody in the right mind would be able to tell our machinery to slow down, this is just an effort to divide us again.

“I believe that both Zahid and Khairy are senior and seasoned enough to not fall into the trap,” said Hishammuddin.

The incumbent Sembrong MP said that when asked about the allegation spreading online that Zahid had asked Sungai Buloh’s election machinery to slow down after Khairy’s remark that he one day wishes to become BN’s president.

He added that the election machinery would not follow such command even if Zahid had really instructed because they were trained to put the party’s interests above any individual.

“Once we have decided who the candidates are, nobody can instruct us to slow down for any candidates,” he told Malay Mail after a dinner event at SJK (C) Ijok where he came to support Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Aziz’s campaign trail here.

Around 200 locals attended, curious to get a closer look at Tengku Zafrul and understand what the caretaker Finance Minister is offering them in his first parliamentary election.

Previously, Khairy Jamaluddin told his audience that he aspires to become a prime minister in the future, but he must first prove himself in the party by winning the Sungai Buloh seat that is currently held by Pakatan Harapan (PH).

Other senior BN leaders such as Zahid and Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani then responded to his loud wish by asking him to first focus on winning this general election for the party before thinking about the premiership.