New
PM yet to be sworn-in, jostle for number two post begins
Istana
Negara has yet to announce who is to be the country’s next prime minister but
it seems the jostling for the number two post has already begun.
Based
on statements from various parties and coalitions, it has been strongly
suggested that Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob may come out victorious
in the race to form a new federal government.
Now,
there are rumours flying that there has been an agreement his deputy would come
from Bersatu.
Among
the names which have been touted for the post include Bersatu secretary-general
Hamzah Zainuddin, as well as supreme council members Redzuan Md Yusof and
Mohamed Azmin Ali. All three are former ministers in the previous Perikatan
Nasional cabinet led by Muhyiddin Yassin.
According
to Utusan Malaysia, a group claiming to be early members of Bersatu issued a
statement today urging that the deputy prime minister post be given to the
party.
They
said Redzuan, who is the Alor Gajah MP, is fit for the job.
“Ismail
Sabri would need to be assisted by a deputy prime minister from Bersatu, who
really understands the (party’s) way forward.
“The
candidate who we think fits the post is Redzuan, who is a former special
functions minister.
“He
is also among the early Bersatu leaders who formed the party together with
party president Muhyiddin Yassin. Of course, he would be among those who really
understand the party’s struggle,” read the statement quoted by Utusan.
Yesterday,
the rumours were that an agreement was reached between political parties for
Ismail Sabri to be the premier while Hamzah would be his deputy.
That
rumour has been debunked by another Bersatu supreme council member Abdul Latiff
Ahmad, who dismissed it as an attempt to disrupt the unity which has been
achieved by the parties.
“This
is just slander to muddy the water between all parties that have agreed to
support Bera MP (Ismail Sabri) as the candidate (for the prime minister post),”
he said, as quoted by the PN Backbenchers Club website.
Another
name that was rumoured to be the deputy prime minister was Azmin, who was
formerly with PKR before joining Bersatu following last year’s Sheraton Move
political coup, which saw the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan federal
government.
The
Yang di-Pertuan Agong has called for all MPs to submit a name of their choice
on who should become the next prime minister, following Muhyiddin’s resignation
on Monday.
The
deadline for MPs to submit the names was 4pm yesterday. The King then summoned
114 MPs who were said to have voted for Ismail Sabri to the palace today.
The
Yang di-Pertuan Agong has met the MPs individually since earlier this morning
to verify who they supported.
Malaysia Chronicle
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