ISMAIL Sabri Yaakob has been named as the prime ministerial candidate by Barisan Nasional MPs tonight, party leaders said.

Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman confirmed the decision to pick the Bera MP.

“It is Ismail,” said Tajuddin as he left a BN lawmakers’ meeting at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur.

Pengerang MP Azalina Othman Said also confirmed that Ismail had clinched the unanimous vote of the party.

“Basically, he was the highest after president (Ahmad Zahid Hamidi),” she said.

Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin did not name who the choice was but replied it was unanimous.

Padang Besar MP Zahidi Zainul Abidin also confirmed a unanimous decision had been reached and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will make a formal announcement.

With the endorsement of the 42 BN MPs, Ismail now has 115 MPs in his corner, more than the 111 needed to take power.

In a tweet late in the night, BN secretary-general Ahmad Maslan said the supreme council had endorsed only one name and it was Ismail.

He said Zahid, BN deputy chairman Mohamad Hasan and BN adviser Najib Razak as well as the Umno Supreme Council had endorsed the former deputy prime minister as its candidate.

He confirmed that the Umno and BN lawmakers later endorsed the decision at a separate meeting for the coalition lawmakers.

Earlier today, the Malaysian Insight reported that Ismail was the front runner for the prime minister’s post and all he needed was the entire BN slate to back him.

“As of now, Ismail Sabri Yaakob has 100 MPs with him while Anwar Ibrahim, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Mohd Shafie Apdal only have 92, 15 and 13 respectively,” said a Perikatan Nasional source.

The Umno vice-president has the evident support of PN, which has 50 MPs from Bersatu, PAS and STAR; Gabungan Parti Sarawak (18); the Umno faction led by Ismail himself (23); MCA (two); MIC (one); PBS (one); PBRS (one); and four independents.

As for Anwar, the Pakatan Harapan chairman, he has the votes of DAP (42), PKR (35), Amanah (11), Parti Sarawak Bersatu (2), Upko (1) and an independent. – August 17, 2021.