PETALING JAYA: Amanah vice-president Mahfuz Omar believes Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob is uncomfortable with Umno’s continued push for an early general election as it affects his position.
Mahfuz said Ismail would not be pleased with the pressure as he knows the people are unhappy with the rising cost of living and would show it at the polls.
“I don’t think Ismail is ready to give up his spot just like that,” Mahfuz said in an Amanah talk show broadcast on Facebook this evening.
“I don’t think the prime minister can accept the decision reached at the BN convention to dissolve Parliament right now, when the rakyat are unhappy with the cost of living.”
“The prime minister should know that the rakyat are tired and fed-up with the crisis we are now facing. If he wants to be the prime minister with the shortest tenure, then he should dissolve Parliament. If he wants to make sure he is not the prime minister after GE15, then he should dissolve Parliament.”
At the BN convention, Ismail had said he would not delay dissolving Parliament “for even one second” once BN is ready. However, in a media interview in Japan last month he had said that the elections would have to be pushed back due to rising cost of living and inflation.
Many Umno leaders have been pressing for early elections after BN’s commanding wins at the recent Melaka and Johor state elections. Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan has said the “best window” for a general election would be before the third quarter of this year.
However, Mahfuz said that judging by current sentiments, holding GE15 in the near term would not work in Umno or Barisan Nasional’s favour.
“The rakyat are angry due to rising cost of living and the economic crisis,” noted Mahfuz. If we (Pakatan Harapan) are power hungry, we would agree to Umno’s call for GE15. That would be the best thing for us.” - FMT
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