kˈɜː kəntˈɛstᵻd fɚðə jˌuːˌɛmˈoʊ jˈuːθ tʃˈiːf pˈoʊst ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪt, bˌʌt ᵻvˈɛntʃuːəli plˈeɪst sˈɛkənd ɪn vˈoʊts ˈæftɚ mˈʌkhɹɪz mˈæhɐθˌɪɹ ænd lˈɔst ðɪ ᵻlˈɛkʃən tə kˈɑːaɪɚɹi dʒˈæmɐlˌʌdɪn.
Khir contested for the UMO Youth Chief post in 2008, but eventually placed second in votes after Mukhriz Mahathir and lost the election to Khairy Jamaluddin.