Ismail likely to be just a temporary PM, says analyst

 

Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s days as prime minister are numbered, says an analyst. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: Ismail Sabri Yaakob is unlikely to move beyond being a temporary prime minister as he lacks the vision and charisma to chart the nation’s future, says a political analyst.

Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said Ismail was a caretaker prime minister at best and predicted that the Umno vice-president would only remain in the top post until the next general election (GE15).

He told FMT that the main faction in Umno was confident of winning the next general election and installing its own man for the top post, while Ismail lacked grassroots support.

“This administration has been a weak and somewhat reluctant marriage of political convenience from the very onset. As such, it is quite commonplace that members or powerful advisers of the administration would feel free to voice their opinions.

Oh Ei Sun.

“They can do so with political impunity since their consequential dismissal from the government would likely also spell the start of the administration’s end,” he said, referring to Najib Razak’s outspoken criticism of Putrajaya’s SOPs for Thaipusam celebrations.

Ismail’s human resources minister M Saravanan had also criticised the SOPs, warning that it had further eroded the Indian community’s trust in the government. The prime minister did not show up for the celebrations at Batu Caves, although Najib was there.

Oh said that Ismail, although he is prime minister, had not managed to garner a greater level of grassroot support than that enjoyed by Najib or Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

“Najib has solid aristocratic and Malay credentials that allow him to freely reach out to other communities without eroding his Malay base. This is something that Ismail can only envy from afar,” he said.

Ismail should count himself lucky that he even became prime minister and enjoy his “numbered days in power” as much as he can.

Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid.

Universiti Sains Malaysia analyst Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid said Ismail needed to do more to connect with non-Malay communities. The prime minister was acting more like a politician when he should be a statesman, he said.

Fauzi acknowledged that Ismail’s political survival would be the priority for now, though his “Keluarga Malaysia” (Malaysian Family) brand had been negatively affected.

Nonetheless, he did not see Ismail getting upstaged by the likes of Najib.

“Ismail has always had this Malay-centric image. The more liberal Najib is helping Barisan Nasional build bridges with non-Malays in a way that Ismail cannot,” Fauzi said. - FMT