KUALA LUMPUR – The Umno Supreme Council meeting scheduled for tonight has been postponed, said the organisation’s working secretary Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan in a single-sentence statement on Umno Online.
“The Special Umno Supreme Working Council meeting scheduled for tonight has been postponed,” said the brief statement on the party website.
It was issued as the party’s vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was sworn in as Malaysia’s ninth prime minister – the third in the country’s 14th parliamentary term.
The appointment took place after his predecessor Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was forced to resign and concede defeat following his loss of the Dewan Rakyat majority.
As a result, political leaders within the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition are scrambling to see who they should support as deputy prime minister as well as who will be appointed into Ismail Sabri’s new cabinet.
The focus is on Umno’s ally of convenience Bersatu – wherein several of its leaders have been bandied as the best candidate for Malaysia’s second highest political post.
Multiple sources confirmed that Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and supreme council members Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali and Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof are vying for the position.
An unlikely horse entering the race is the party’s deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu, who was formerly the Perak menteri besar until he was ousted by an unlikely joint operation between Umno and DAP late last year.
Another possible entry into Bersatu’s race for the position is Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, fondly known as Tok Pa, with analysts pointing out that he is “not politically ambitious and will not manoeuvre for more power”.
Mustapa has served in a number of portfolios as minister from 1995 to 2018.
However, Bersatu leaders should also watch out for its Sarawakian ally Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), which is also vying to have one of its own as deputy prime minister.
Ismail Sabri, who is Bera MP and was deputy prime minister in the previous cabinet under Muhyiddin, was announced as the prime ministerial choice by Istana Negara on Wednesday after he secured the backing of 114 MPs. – The Vibes, August 21, 2021
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