UMNO leaders have started disputing claims that the newly minted Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s government is a Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration. 

Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan is the latest to wade into the debate and in a tweet labeled the new government a mixed one, while dismissing claims it is still PN.

“For me, this is not a PN government but a mixed one comprising Barisan Nasional, PN, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Parti Bersatu Sarawak (PBS). 

“PN only has Bersatu, PAS, Gerakan, Sabah Star – and not BN, GPS and PBS,” the Pontian MP tweeted last night.

Ahmad’s comment came after former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin who led the PN administration said yesterday that he will continue to support Ismail and the PN government.

“I give my full support to him (Ismail) and Insya Allah will continue helping the PN government deliver the best service to the people, particularly during the nation’s recovery phase,” Muhyiddin said on Facebook.

Muhyiddin had previously said that support for Ismail from PN’s 50 lawmakers was conditional, and he did not want anyone from the court cluster in the cabinet.

Echoing Ahmad’s sentiment was Umno Supreme Council member Abdul Rahman Dahlan who stated that PN’s term as the federal government has ended. 

“Alhamdullillah Ismail has been appointed as the ninth prime minister. Therefore, the PN brand as the federal government ends today. Before this, BN was not even a PN component party. 

“The previous government was a coalition between BN, PN, Parti Bersatu Sabah and GPS, and not a PN government. 

“I don’t know who had called the previous government a PN government,” Rahman had said in a Facebook post yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Vibes news portal, quoting Bersatu supreme council member Mohamed Azmin Ali, said Ismail would continue to lead PN. 

“I believe Ismail will continue to lead the PN government. Our focus is just to mitigate the situation now with the Covid-19 outbreak and accelerate economic recovery,” he told reporters after a Bersatu meeting at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

Ismail, 61 was sworn in as the country’s ninth prime minister yesterday at noon. – August 22, 2021.