KUALA LUMPUR – A petition against Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s widely expected appointment as the country’s ninth prime minister has been started on change.org.
It received 329,220 signatures at the time of publication, and is currently one of the top-signed entries on the platform.
Started by one Kyle Mohd two days ago, the petition alleged that Ismail Sabri’s mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic led to Malaysia’s whopping caseload.
To date, the country has seen almost 1.5 million infections and over 13,000 fatalities.
“Entrepreneurs and workers have stopped working because of the ever-changing standard operating procedures. Parents, husbands, wives, children, relatives and friends have died because of Covid-19. Reject a failed government,” said the petition.
Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri, despite not being the sole decision-maker on matters related to the pandemic, was one of the Perikatan Nasional government’s main faces in the virus fight.
The former senior minister’s most-criticised announcement was on not mandating quarantine for Sabah returnees following the state election last September – a decision that many have blamed for the nation’s coronavirus surge.
The petition also noted his decision to introduce a digital mall solely for Bumiputera traders in 2015, during his time as rural and regional development minister.
The Bera MP is believed to be the front runner in the race to become prime minister, following Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s resignation on Monday.
The king had ordered all MPs to submit statutory declarations on their choice of prime minister by 4pm two days ago, and as things stand, Ismail Sabri is said to have the backing of 114 lawmakers.
More than 111 are required for an MP to have majority support.
Yesterday, His Majesty held individual meetings with all the parliamentarians supporting Ismail Sabri to confirm their stand.
The Agong is scheduled to have a special Conference of Rulers meeting today, where he is expected to finalise the decision on who becomes the next prime minister. – The Vibes, August 20, 2021
