Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has been in a whirlwind of meetings in anticipation of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's resignation tomorrow and efforts to sustain the Perikatan Nasional government with the Umno vice-president leader at the helm.
His latest meeting is with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who has been instrumental in forcing Muhyiddin's hand. Muhyiddin is the Bersatu president.
Ismail Sabri had been approaching Umno MPs to back him as the PN government's next prime ministerial candidate but a key group that could become a stumbling block is Zahid's faction.
A well-placed source, who is part of the Umno supreme council, told Malaysiakini that the deputy premier met with Zahid at Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre where the Umno headquarters is also located.
Ismail Sabri's faction has been trying to convince Zahid's faction to return to PN's fold with him at the helm.
They argued that this is consistent with the demands by Zahid's faction that Umno should take over the premiership.
It is still unclear if Zahid, who is the Bagan Datuk MP, is prepared to back Ismail Sabri.
The only reason Muhyiddin lost his majority was because of Zahid, along with 14 Umno MPs, withdrew their support for him.
If they transfer their support en bloc to Ismail Sabri, he will be able to cobble together a majority and form an administration that is very similar to the current PN government.
This is if all existing government MPs also transfer their support to the deputy prime minister.
The major blocs in Perikatan Nasional are Umno, Bersatu, PAS and GPS.
They are also backed by a number of other smaller parties and independent MPs.
PAS, which has 18 MPs and is staunchly anti-opposition, is expected to remain firmly in favour of retaining the PN government.
Senior GPS sources have told Malaysiakini that the coalition of 18 Sarawak-based MPs was prepared to back Ismail Sabri if he can form a stable government.
Earlier, MalaysiaGazette reported that Ismail Sabri also met with Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainuddin at Royale Chulan Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
If Ismail Sabri succeeds, a Bersatu candidate is expected to occupy the deputy prime minister position.
Sources privy about the matter have also said that Ismail Sabri's representatives are trying to reach out to Warisan to avoid a situation similar to Muhyiddin's fragile majority.
There is no indication yet that the Sabah-based party's eight MPs are prepared to back the deputy premier. - Mkini
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