IN an about-turn, caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has changed his views on 12 Perikatan Nasional (PN) ministers whom he had previously claimed were responsible for forcing him to dissolve parliament. 

Ismail said he does not blame the ministers as they were only following orders and instructions from PN chairman and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin. 

“They (PN) are also in the government coalition. But they suddenly attack the government. 

“(Home Minister) Hamzah Zainudin said they had no choice but to follow party decisions,” he said after the launch of the Damansara-Shah Alam Highway today. 

Yesterday, Ismail blamed Muhyiddin and 12 PN ministers for making the government untenable, forcing Ismail to dissolve parliament. 

Ismail said the dissolution of parliament on Monday was to clear the air on the government’s legitimacy and to say it is not a backdoor one, so he had to return the mandate to the people. 

He had said the decision was due to the 12 PN ministers writing to the Agong, advising him against holding the elections this year and Muhyiddin’s declaration that Barisan Nasional (BN) is PN’s enemy at the polls.

Ismail said there was influence from the party president and cabinet ministers from Bersatu who can’t detach themselves from it.

“This means they were receiving orders from the party president. 

“If the party president asked them to write the letter, they would write it although it’s not wise to do so,” he said.

He said if the PN agenda was to disrupt the stability of the government, then it will be difficult to address issues such as the people’s welfare and economic recovery. 

“That is why I returned the mandate to the people, for them to make a choice and for us to form a new government that is stable after GE15,” he said. – October 13, 2022.