KUALA LUMPUR – Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi told newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to toe the party line and reject the post.
According to Free Malaysia Today, Puad said Ismail Sabri’s appointment did not help the people but was a move to shore up support for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The appointments come as Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional government faces a possible collapse with the withdrawal of support from Umno.
“This is a move to checkmate Umno, before this Umno was checked by the state of emergency,” Puad was quoted as saying.
“If he wanted to appoint Ismail Sabri as his deputy, it should have been done when the government was formed, not now hours before the Umno Supreme Council meeting to decide on withdrawing support for the government.”
Earlier today, the Prime Minister's Office announced Ismail Sabri’s appointment to the number two position, while still holding the defence portfolio.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, meanwhile, was accorded “senior minister” status. Hishammuddin will take over Ismail Sabri’s duties relating to the security cluster.
Puad said that the Supreme Council – comprising the party’s most senior leadership – had last year resolved not to demand or accept the deputy prime minister post.
He also said that Ismail Sabri’s appointment was not discussed among the Supreme Council members.
“This is a move to divide us. Ismail Sabri has to abide by the party’s stance or refer to the party first because the decision against accepting or asking for the DPM post is a decision of the Supreme Council.”
Meanwhile, Selangor Barisan Nasional information chief Isham Jalil said the political situation in the country would not see major changes but could also deteriorate to become more unstable.
“Umno would still need to bow to PPBM (Bersatu) that has failed to administer the country, but there will be internal problems in Umno that would lead to division,” Isham said in a statement.
“PN’s failed policies will continue and the people will bear the suffering of these failures.” – The Vibes, July 7, 2021
