'Will removing Zuraida as minister threaten PM's fragile majority?'

 

Ismail Sabri Yaakob not immediately replacing Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin as the plantation industries and commodities minister despite her defection from Bersatu to Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) led to speculation that the prime minister is carefully weighing his tenuous position.

Ismail Sabri (above) commands the support of 116 MPs out of 220 filled seats in the Dewan Rakyat, including three from PBM.

The three in PBM are Zuraida, Tebrau MP Steven Choong, and Julau MP Larry Sng. Without the trio, Ismail Sabri will only be left with 113 MPs.

There is speculation that more MPs in Bersatu could follow Zuraida but it is unclear if she has the backing of another three MPs which would be enough to cost Ismail Sabri his majority.

Some of the disgruntled MPs in Bersatu who were formerly from PKR included Saratok parliamentarian Ali Biju, who faces a bleak political future due to Bersatu agreeing with the Sarawak-based GPS not to contest in the state.

Ali, who won the Saratok seat under PKR in 2018, won’t be able to defend the seat if the Bersatu-GPS deal stands.

Non-Malay MPs who defected from PKR to Bersatu also do not have voting rights as they are only part of the party as associate members.

‘More wheeling and dealing’

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang noted that Bersatu has publicly expressed its intention to replace Zuraida’s ministerial position with a Bersatu candidate but Ismail Sabri’s reluctance to immediately commit showed that it is not yet set in stone.

“Zurada’s cabinet post will be the subject of a new political wheeling and dealing to ensure that Ismail Sabri will not be the prime minister with the shortest span in office while ordinary Malaysians suffer from new economic stress,” he said in a statement.

Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin

Ismail Sabri has indicated that he will only make a decision after he meets with Zuraida upon returning from Japan.

If the prime minister retains Zuraida, it will likely anger Bersatu which is also equally capable of threatening Ismail Sabri’s majority.

However, Ismail Sabri will have time until the end of July due to a supply and confidence deal with Pakatan Harapan.

The Harapan opposition coalition has agreed not to threaten the continuity of Ismail Sabri's government in exchange for the implementation of reforms. The deal expires at the end of July.

Lim noted that the wheeling and dealing will again distract the country from key issues.

“Equally of concern to Malaysians is how many of the cabinet ministers are in the country instead of gallivanting around the world in the opening up of more than two years of Covid-19 pandemic in the world,” he said. - Mkini