Khairy Jamaluddin

Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar or more commonly known as KJ is one of two co-founders and regular co-hosts of Keluar Sekejap. An Oxford graduate in philosophy, politics and economics who had a stint in journaling for The Economist, KJ acts as the main host of the podcast, notably as the main persona of the show where he often exerts his main views on Malaysian politics, government policies, economics, and current affairs.^[7][8] Prior in creating the podcast, KJ was the former Malaysian Minister of Health and the Member of Parliament for Rembau where he was in charge of spearheading the country out of the COVID-19 pandemic. KJ's dismissal from Malaysia's Grand Old Party was one of the core reasons on creating Keluar Sekejap where he stated that he wanted to stay politically relevant despite being sacked by the party.^[9]

Shahril Hamdan

Shahril Sufian Hamdan, co-founder and co-host, who is also an UMNO exile was the former economic advisor to the 9th Prime Minister of Malaysia, Ismail Sabri Yaakob.^[10] Shahril studied economics at Manchester, and sociology at the London School of Economics where he was a Chevening Scholar. He has held various high positions in UMNO where he was the former Vice Youth Chief and Information Chief of the party. Shahril's rise in politics was attributed to his close connection with KJ, where they share similar views and ideology within the party. Before the 2023 United Malays National Organisation leadership election, Shahril's membership as an UMNO member was terminated for 6 years which corelated to his ambition in creating Keluar Sekejap with KJ.

PH-BN government

KJ and Shahril has shared mixed views toward the Anwar Ibrahim cabinet, rarely praising them for their policies involving the economy, foreign policy and governance, but oftentimes criticizing them for their lack of commitment in political reform involving combating corruption. KJ acknowledges the challenges of the current PH-BN government to enforce structural reforms, but believes that the government has not done enough critical or substantial effort.^[11]

The podcast often criticizes and condemns the current state of UMNO which is led by its president, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Both KJ and Shahril is known to share contradictory opinions with Zahid, where KJ had competed against and lost to Zahid for the presidential post back in the 2018 United Malays National Organisation leadership election.^[12]

Perikatan Nasional

In the podcast, both KJ and Shahril had shown more support towards the opposition compared to the PH-BN government. During the 2023 Malaysian state elections, KJ had declared his support towards several PN candidates, where he even went to campaign and assist several of them during election season whilst Shahril remain apolitical.^[13] Despite the support, KJ and Shahril had both criticized PN's political rhetoric on abusing racial and religious sentiments in attracting rural and conservative Malay voters. In an episode with the Member of Parliament for Machang Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, KJ and Shahril had expressed their disapproval towards Wan Fayhsal's racial comments towards the Democratic Action Party (DAP).^[14]

2023