Many factors to consider before calling elections, says Malaysian PM Ismail Sabri Yaakob

PUTRAJAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - While the mandate should be returned to the people to choose their government, the challenge is to determine the right time for national elections, said Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Datuk Seri Ismail said many considerations needed to be looked into before making the call.

"With three changes in the government since 2018, it is better to give the people the opportunity to elect a new government. But there are matters that still need to be worked on and resolved, particularly the economy," he said in an interview with the media to mark his first year in office.

Mr Ismail, 62, was sworn in as Malaysia's ninth prime minister on Aug 21 last year.

During the interview, Mr Ismail said the global economic forecast for next year is not encouraging and the government must look for measures to cushion its impact on the country and the economy.

He added that from a political standpoint, Parliament would be dissolved when his party is confident of its chances at the polls.

"We need to find the right time to go to the polls. We must gauge what our chances are if we do it now or next year," he said.

"Finding the right balance is hard, given the current situation."

Although the current Parliament term ends in July next year, Umno, the party that has governed for most of Malaysia's history, has been pushing for early polls.

During the media interview, Mr Ismail was asked about views that the polls should take place next year to avoid him serving as prime minister for only a short period.

Mr Ismail said how long he serves as prime minister did not matter.

"There is no point in serving for 20 years but bringing no benefits to the people. A short stint but it is filled with successes is more meaningful," he said.

On his relationship with Umno president Zahid Hamidi, Mr Ismail, a party vice-president, described it as close.

"The president and I are like this," he said as he locked his fingers to indicate their closeness.

The Premier said he has known Zahid since he was in school because his brother and Zahid are best friends and had even been roommates.

Mr Ismail said he would drop by Zahid's house in between meetings and events, adding that there was no reason for him to make the visits public.

"Talk of a split in Umno is by people outside the party who draw their own perception of things they don't know," he said.

Mr Ismail also rubbished talk that he will wait to announce national polls until court cases involving certain Umno leaders - including Zahid - have been concluded.

"How can I, when this is a court matter in which I have no authority," he said when asked about such talk.

Zahid is facing 47 charges - 12 of them for breach of trust, eight charges for corruption and 27 for money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit of funds belonging to his family-run foundation Yayasan Akalbudi.

Meanwhile, the still-influential former premier Najib Razak, a supporter of Zahid, has lamented that he is "all alone", in a heartfelt post on Facebook on Sunday (Aug 21).

Najib will face his final appeal hearing at the Federal Court on Tuesday over the SRC International graft case. Chief Justice Maimun Tuan Mat, who leads a five-member Federal Court bench, had set Aug 23-26 to hear the appeal.

On Aug 17, the court denied applications from the defence to adduce new evidence and to postpone the hearing.

Najib's counsel, Mr Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, then made an application on Aug 18 to discharge himself, which was also denied by the Apex Court.

The next day, Mr Hisyam told the court that his firm had been discharged by the former premier and he would not be making any more submissions to defend him.