Khaled, announcing his appointment in a statement today, hoped that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi would explain why he was chosen.
“I am aware that my appointment will raise many questions among the local leaders in the state,” said Khaled, who was recently elected an Umno vice-president. “I hope that the president will be able to explain this move soon so that we can continue with Umno’s transformation.”
Hasni Mohamed has been appointed as head of Johor Umno.
Perlis Umno chief Shahidan Kassim, who recently suffered from an autoimmune disorder known as Guillain-Barré syndrome, was at the centre of a month-long political crisis after the general election in May.
Nine of 10 Barisan Nasional assembly members, allied to Shahidan, refused to support the appointment of Azlan Man, who was appointed to a second term as menteri besar by the Raja of Perlis. Instead they supported Shahidan’s brother Ismail.
The crisis was only resolved after a month, when the nine “rebels” accepted Azlan’s appointment, after an audience with Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail, and Shahidan dropped his objections.
His brother Ismail has left Umno and announced last week that he would join PKR in Kedah. His application is pending.