KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 -- Although it largely champions Malay-Muslim causes, Khairy Jamaluddin said Umno naturally positions itself as a centrist party.

"It is a bit like a big tent. That is why I can exist in the party, and so can Akmal and Asyraf," he said, referring to Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh and party secretary-general Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

He explained that this allows Umno to navigate cultural contestations better than most other political parties in Malaysia, noting that such incidents have been amplified by certain individuals in recent years.

"Ultimately, Umno believes the position for Malay parties in Malaysia is at the centre, where you give and take, understand each other's rights and the Constituti...