Ismail Sabri’s appointment will badly split Umno, says BossKu founder Isham Jalil

(FMT) – It is up to the Umno supreme council to decide whether or not to accept the appointment of Ismail Sabri Yaakob as deputy prime minister, says Selangor Barisan Nasional (BN).

The council must discuss Ismail’s appointment because the country’s new number two was an Umno MP, says state BN information chief Isham Jalil.

He said it would also have an impact on the leadership and grassroots, he said, which was why a consensus was needed.

Isham went on to say that if the party accepted the appointment, the political landscape would not change much.

“The political instability we have now will prolong if not worsen and Umno will still need to bow down to Bersatu, which has failed in running the country.

“Internal problems will plague the party and cause a split,” he said in a Facebook post.

He also expressed hope that Umno leaders would make a wise decision, adding that the grassroots has witnessed the political games played by Bersatu which has stalled the country’s exit from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Earlier this evening, the Prime Minister’s Office announced that Ismail, the senior minister for security has been appointed deputy prime minister, while foreign minister Hishammuddin Hussein was made a senior minister.

Hishammuddin will take over Ismail’s portfolio.

Isham went on to say that while Ismail was qualified for the job, his appointment to the post was ill-timed due to the current situation.

“It is clear that the appointment was made as Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is desperate and his party is on the verge of collapsing. Hence he is using Umno once again to save himself and the party.”