Zahid cornered Ismail Sabri into calling election, says Mat Sabu

Updated 3 years ago · Published on 26 Oct 2022 10:03AM · 1 Comments

Amanah president Mohamad Sabu says Ahmad Zahid Hamidi pressured caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob into calling election as he was worried that he could suffer the same fate as Najib Razak, as his court case draws to a close. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, October 26, 2022.

ISMAIL Sabri Yaakob had been pressured by his party boss Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to call a snap election although the prime minister wanted to hold the national polls next year, Mohamad Sabu said.

The Amanah president said Ismail had expressed commitment to hold the general election in 2023 when he signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders in 2021 after coming into power.

“Ismail Sabri wanted the GE to take place next year, not this year. That was his wish to us when the MOU was signed.

“But Zahid knows his case would end soon and he is worried that he might end up like Najib Razak. That is why he forced Ismail to dissolve parliament.

“Ismail knows he could be sacked from Umno if he refused to follow Zahid’s order. As  president, Zahid can sack Ismail and Zahid has the backing of Umno’s top leaders,” Mohamad, who is fondly known as Mat Sabu, said last night.

The incumbent Kota Raja MP was speaking at a PH event in Alor Gajah, Malacca.

The Election Commission last week announced that Malaysians will go to the polls on November 19 and nomination date has been set for November 5 and early voting, November 15.

The general election involves 222 parliamentary seats, 59 Perak legislative assembly seats, Pahang (42) and Perlis (15). 

Meanwhile, Mohamad also lambasted Perikatan Nasional (PN) cabinet members for sending a letter to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to reject the dissolution of parliament.

He said the 12 PN ministers had disrespected Ismail as the prime minister.

“They were very disrespectful towards Ismail. But we know who these people are, they are traitors.

“It is not a surprise to see that they can betray Ismail. They once betrayed us, so they will betray again,” said the former defence minister.

Ismail had already described the action of the 12 ministers who sent the letter to the king as disrupting the harmony in the cabinet.

Ismail then used the letter as an excuse to advise the king to dissolve parliament.

Meanwhile, PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin described Ismail as irresponsible when he blamed the pact and the 12 ministers for causing parliament to be dissolved.  

Subsequently, Ismail said he was only joking about sacking the 12 ministers. – October 26, 2022.

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Comments

  • There is a likelihood Ismail Sabri will still be sacked after the election and Zahid will assume the PM position. As long as Zahid is the President of UMNO, Ismail Sabris PM Position will never be safe.

    Posted 3 years ago by Elyse Gim · Reply