KUALA LUMPUR: The next health minister should continue to carry out long-term health care reform plans such as the Health White Paper, says Khairy Jamaluddin.
The Health Minister said ministers must always have a plan for continuity to ensure there would be no disruption in governance even after Parliament is dissolved.
“For many things, our civil servants are well-equipped and capable of running the show.
“But for signature projects like the Health White Paper, I’ve asked the Health Advisory Council as well as the senior management of the ministry to brief the new minister to ensure continuity,” said Khairy at a press conference after launching the International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (IGBA) and Malaysian Organisation of Pharmaceutical Industries (MOPI) 2022 Conference here.
Khairy was asked about his hope for the future of the Health White Paper should he not be reappointed as health minister after the 15th General Election.
Turning it into a light moment, Khairy quipped: “Are you hurrying me to leave the ministry? I was just chased out of Rembau. Relax lah!”
Speculation is rife that Khairy will not be defending his Rembau parliamentary seat in GE15, as Umno is looking to field its deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan there instead.
Currently, Mohamad is Rembau Umno chief and Khairy is his deputy.
Khairy has been Rembau MP for three terms, while Mohamad has been the state assemblyman for Rantau since 2004.
Moving Mohamad to a parliamentary seat will pave the way for the former Negri Sembilan mentri besar to hold a federal-level post.