Ismail’s show of strength seen as good sign for BN in GE15

 

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob with other party leaders before the Umno meeting yesterday.

PETALING JAYA: Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s assertion of his right to seek the dissolution of Parliament has prompted an analyst to comment that the prime minister is now fully confident of Umno’s support of his position as prime minister.

“It’s a show of strength and confidence and also an indication the next general election is imminent,” said Council of Professors fellow Jeniri Amir.

He told FMT he saw it as a sign that Ismail had Umno’s backing to continue holding the country’s top post should Barisan Nasional win the election.

He said it showed that all of Umno was now on the same page and that Ismail no longer cared what other parties might think regarding the timing of the election.

He also said it was a “very good sign for BN”, that it was in a good position to contest in GE15.

Umno’s top leaders met with grassroots chiefs at a large gathering at the party’s headquarters yesterday. Some grassroots leaders told FMT they believed the top leadership had decided on the date for the election.

Perikatan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan leaders have been telling Ismail to ignore calls from Umno for GE15 to be held this year.

Yesterday, Ismail said the decision to seek the dissolution of Parliament was his alone to make and that no other party had a say in the matter.

Another analyst, Awang Azman Pawi of Universiti Malaya, said Ismail’s presence at yesterday’s Umno gathering along with party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi showed the two were on the same page.

“They need each other to ensure that Umno and BN win GE15,” he said.

He also said Ismail demonstrated the boldness associated with previous prime ministers in his assertion of his prerogative to exercise his power to propose the dissolution of Parliament.

He said it showed Ismail was not beholden to Bersatu or PAS and was not afraid to face elections. - FMT