KUALA LUMPUR – The decision to name Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as Umno’s prime ministerial candidate for the coming national polls was an important step in moving past the Johor menteri besar appointment debacle, party leaders have said.
Umno’s top leadership were blindsided last month by the appointment of Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi as Johor menteri besar, after having paraded their Johor chief Datuk Hasni Mohammad as their menteri besar of choice during the Johor election, which they won by a landslide.
Party sources had said then that Onn Hafiz’s appointment was due to an 11th hour intervention by state royalty, causing embarrassment and discontent among Umno’s leadership including president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who had said that what was delivered was not what they had ordered.
Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the party cannot allow itself to be bogged down by the Johor menteri besar debacle, even if there may be a possibility of the situation repeating itself at the federal level.
Khaled, also a former Johor menteri besar, said the party will simply have to address the issue should it happen again.
“If we are afraid of that, we will never name anyone! We will see how, when we cross that bridge,” he told The Vibes when contacted.
Yesterday, Umno’s supreme council decided that Ismail Sabri will be nominated as prime minister if they reclaim Putrajaya in the next general election, which must be held by May next year.
However, the supreme council’s decision has not been universally accepted by party members, with some continuing to insist that the president be made the prime ministerial candidate as is the norm, according to supreme council member Datuk Arman Azha Abu Hanifah.
Umno has been grappling with persistent rumours of a power struggle between those holding the traditional reins of power in the party and those holding ministerial positions but not necessarily senior party posts.
The party leadership has denied that Umno is split.
Arman said party members need to respect the final decision of the supreme council, who he said are setting an example of unity in coming to a consensus to support Ismail Sabri as Umno’s prime ministerial candidate.
“There are some who don’t truly understand the situation of new politics today, where for the first time, we are seeing a prime minister who is not a party president,” Arman said. – The Vibes, April 15, 2022
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