With Pakatan parley, smooth sailing ahead for Ismail Sabri

KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob may have turned the tables in his favour less than a week after being sworn in.

From holding a slim majority in the Dewan Rakyat with the support of only 114 of the 220 living MPs, the Bera lawmaker now enjoys the conditional backing of opposition politicians, following a meeting with Pakatan Harapan leaders two days ago.

Opposition chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has promised not to “complicate” matters if a vote of confidence is held in Parliament, provided that the political atmosphere remains as it is and pro-rakyat programmes are delivered.

Ismail Sabri’s decision to reach across the aisle was lauded, with leaders from both sides of the divide, pundits and the public commending him for acceding to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s decree for political differences to be set aside in the fight against Covid-19.

But beyond that, the move has given the prime minister much-needed breathing space and a sense of security to work without the constant pressure and fear of losing majority support should certain quarters withdraw their backing if their demands are not met.

It was this very situation that plagued Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s 17-month tenure as prime minister, and eventually led to his downfall.

The Bersatu president’s refusal to cooperate with the opposition amid the twin health and economic crises, and his failure to meet all the demands issued by Umno, meant that he was always susceptible to losing support.

And this was indeed the case when over a dozen Umno lawmakers withdrew their backing for him earlier this month.

In Ismail Sabri’s case, the largest threat now comes from Bersatu, the Umno splinter with a number of leaders possessing huge political ambitions.

It is understood that Bersatu has demanded the deputy prime minister’s post, with at least three of its leaders said to be squabbling over the position, as well as several key cabinet portfolios.

Already, several reports have claimed that a faction within the party has threatened to withdraw its backing for Ismail Sabri if its choice of deputy prime minister is not heeded.

The concern is that if he does not heed such requests, as well as future demands, there is a possibility that Bersatu, or certain members of the party, could pull the plug on him, much like what Umno did to Muhyiddin.

Whether this will happen is up for speculation, but on Ismail Sabri’s part, the support he now enjoys from PH will at least secure his position.

With PH, the Umno vice-president has the backing of 88 MPs – should he continue the current cordial relationship with his political rivals – on top of the 114 already in his corner.

This gives Ismail Sabri a free hand to pick his cabinet from among members he feels are best suited to assisting him in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, and he will not be pressured into policies and other decisions that are not in the people’s best interests.

The backing of the opposition pact also means he could face less fierce opposition in the Dewan Rakyat when it comes to voting on laws, particularly those that are people-centric, such as the bipartisan support shown for Undi18 during PH’s time in power.

It is still the early days of the Ismail Sabri administration, but the signs indicate that his olive branch to the opposition could very well work in his favour, and more importantly, for the rakyat. – The Vibes, August 27, 2021