SG SIPUT – Caretaker prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today went on the offensive, calling his opponents from Perikatan Nasional (PN) “delusional” and irresponsible for repeated attacks saying that he led a failed government.
Ismail Sabri said his administration had raised the country’s gross domestic product, as well as employment, and had also facilitated the fastest Covid-19 vaccine roll-out.
“They are delusional, they have no facts. They are the ones that (are) excessively politicking, they keep slandering while we (Barisan Nasional) work for the people.
“We have succeeded and they are the ones that failed.
“So, show me your numbers and I’ll show you mine. When I took over the government from him (PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin), we were facing the highest number of recorded Covid-19 deaths, hundreds of deaths daily with hospitals being overwhelmed.
“But under me, we managed to facilitate the fastest vaccine roll-out, encourage trade, reopened the borders, and subsequently saved the economy,” he said during a press conference after a meet and greet with Felda Lasah settlers here today.
Ismail Sabri also lambasted Muhyiddin, whom he succeeded as prime minister, accusing the latter of failing to provide political stability while he was in power.
“When he was in power, the country was in political chaos. I had to secure stability with the signing of the memorandum (of political understanding).
“That has never happened before. So, I speak with facts and I don’t engage in all this politicking,” he said.
The memorandum referred to was signed by Ismail Sabri with Pakatan Harapan (PH) soon after he became prime minister in August last year. In exchange for certain reforms, PH would support his government and not attempt any vote of confidence in Parliament, where Ismail Sabri had marginal support from MPs.
The Umno vice-president, who is defending the Bera parliamentary seat in Pahang, was answering criticism from PN – which has been campaigning for the general election by attacking Ismail Sabri’s Barisan Nasional (BN) government as a failed administration.
Senior PN leaders such as Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor have also called Ismail Sabri politically weak, saying that the Umno vice-president was “not even in the race” to be a credible prime minister candidate for Malaysians.
PN leaders have also lambasted PH chairman and prime minister hopeful Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as someone who is “morally bankrupt”.
Meanwhile, during the same event, MIC president and BN’s parliamentary candidate for Sg Siput, Tan Sri S.A. Vigneswaran, also lambasted Anwar, calling out the latter’s lack of credibility to lead the country.
“Anwar is not a credible leader as he was a convict before and was only granted a pardon. He has no credibility,” he said. – The Vibes, November 15, 2022
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