KUALA LUMPUR – I closed the door because I wanted to go home, said Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob of his social media post that set tongues wagging yesterday.
The senior minister said this to reporters after the launch of a modular army hospital here, reported Sinar Harian.
Speculation was rife about his future in Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s cabinet after the Facebook post went up.
Ismail Sabri uploaded an image of himself exiting his office at the Defence Ministry, with the caption: “Saya dah tutup pintu depan tapi... (I have closed the front door, but...).”
The text in the post is accompanied by a teary-faced emoji.
Sources told The Vibes that the minister is frustrated over the slow pace of Malaysia’s Covid-19 recovery and shambolic implementation of the current lockdown.
Economic sectors are paralysed due to glitches in the International Trade and Industry Ministry’s Covid-19 Intelligent Management System 3.0, which has resulted in many businesses given the nod to operate during the two-week lockdown being unable to do so.
Ismail Sabri and his senior officers have not responded to queries from The Vibes.
His lament also came after the government seemingly made a U-turn on allowing factories producing alcoholic drinks to operate.
Yesterday, Ismail Sabri ordered beer factories in the country to shut during the lockdown, following complaints by several quarters.
This came a week after he ordered a casino in Genting Highlands to close.
It is understood that a National Security Council meeting on the approval given to so many economic sectors to continue operating was testy, with frustration obvious on ministers’ faces.
“Some of these ministers are also at a breaking point themselves leading the fight against the pandemic for almost 16 months,” said a source.
Ismail Sabri’s post, which was uploaded around 4pm yesterday, has received thousands upon thousands of reactions, comments and shares. – The Vibes, June 3, 2021
