Over 350k petition against Ismail as next PM

A petition that began on Wednesday against Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob being appointed Malaysia's next prime minister had garnered more than 350,000 signatures by yesterday, the same day that his appointment was confirmed by the King.

The petition on Change.org that was started by a person using the name Kyle Mohd notched up 200,000 signatures within the first eight hours after it went online.

People continued to sign it even after Malaysia's King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, confirmed that Mr Ismail would be the country's ninth prime minister, replacing Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who stepped down on Monday.

The palace statement was issued minutes after the King met his fellow rulers yesterday afternoon for a special discussion on the matter.

The originator of the petition complained about Mr Ismail's handling of the Covid-19 outbreak in Malaysia. The Umno vice-president was formerly the senior minister in charge of security protocols related to the pandemic under Mr Muhyiddin's administration.

"He (Ismail) has mishandled the Covid-19 pandemic, causing large-scale infections. Many inappropriate remarks (by him) proved that he is just a liar and a political joker," Kyle Mohd alleged in the petition.

"Your work or business has to stop because the health protocols are constantly changing. Parents, husbands, wives, children, siblings, friends, they died of being infected by Covid-19. Reject a failed government."

One of the signatories, Dzikri Z, when asked why he had signed the petition, claimed that Mr Ismail was one of the politicians "responsible for the high (number of) cases of Covid-19 in Malaysia".

Malaysia's daily infections continue to hit record highs despite movement controls being imposed since June and vaccinations being ramped up.

Mr Ismail had been criticised for issuing confusing and conflicting health protocols, including those on which economic sectors should shut as Covid-19 cases kept rising.

The former deputy prime minister had also announced that those returning to Peninsular Malaysia after Sabah's state election in September last year were not required to serve a quarantine period. The returning travellers, largely politicians and their aides, sparked a fresh wave of infections in the country.

Since the pandemic began last year, Malaysia has seen almost 1.5 million Covid-19 infections and more than 13,000 fatalities.

Mr Ismail had previously courted controversy in 2015 as the minister in charge of domestic trade, for a Facebook post in which he urged Malay consumers to boycott what he said were profiteering Chinese businesses.

That same year, he raised more hackles by setting up what became known as "Low Yat 2", a digital-gadget mall at which only Malay-owned computer businesses were allowed to trade.

Nevertheless Mr Sabri, a veteran politician, has his fair share of supporters who affectionately refer to him as "Pak Long", or eldest uncle.

"May Ismail Sabri's path be made easier by God to carry out the trust of God to govern this country wisely," said Facebook user Anne's Kauthar.

Another Facebook user, MSham Kamal, said: "If Pak Long wants to be stronger, Pak Long should appoint Muhyiddin as DPM (deputy prime minister) whom the people respect."