Umno V-P Ismail on course to be next PM: Sources
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Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is said to have the backing of Umno's 38 lawmakers, giving him the needed majority.
Nadirah H. Rodzi Malaysia Correspondent In Kuala Lumpur , Nadirah H. Rodzi
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Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob is on the cusp of becoming Malaysia's ninth prime minister after his party's 38 lawmakers decided late last night to throw their support behind him.
Multiple sources told The Straits Times that a meeting of the Umno-led Barisan Nasional MPs agreed to nominate the Bera MP, who was deputy premier in the Muhyiddin Yassin administration which resigned on Monday.
With this, Datuk Seri Ismail will likely have the support of 115 MPs, mirroring the exact same make-up as the Perikatan Nasional pact that Tan Sri Muhyiddin led before 15 Umno lawmakers loyal to president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi withdrew their support early this month.
A bloc of at least 111 lawmakers is needed to secure a simple majority in the 222-member Parliament as two seats are currently vacant.
Earlier yesterday, Mr Ismail was said to be neck and neck with opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim in the race for the top job, with both men still short of the needed support of 111 lawmakers.
ST understands that Datuk Seri Anwar, who leads the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition and is Parti Keadilan Rakyat president, has the backing of at least 105 lawmakers, with 88 of them hailing from his coalition.
Earlier, Umno was said to be planning to name three candidates for the prime minister post - Mr Ismail, former foreign minister Hishammuddin Hussein and veteran statesman Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.
Horse trading was rampant among Malaysia's political leaders yesterday ahead of today's deadline set by the King for lawmakers to declare their choice to succeed outgoing prime minister Muhyiddin.
Local media reported that the deputy prime minister post has been offered to Parti Warisan Sabah president Shafie Apdal, provided he lends support to Mr Anwar for the top job.
Mr Anwar has been eyeing the premier post for decades.
"PH's request for Warisan's support of its eight MPs is crucial and this is why the offer of the deputy prime minister post was made to Shafie to butter up the deal," said a source quoted by The Star.
"This is also because Shafie is expected not only to bring eight Warisan MPs, but may also be able to bring along with him at least two MPs from Pejuang, one from Upko and two more from PSB. He seems to be taking the bait as we know that calls have been made to support him as deputy prime minister," the source added, referring to Parti Pejuang Tanah Air, United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation and Parti Sarawak Bersatu.
However, Warisan Youth chief Mohd Azis Jamman said the party would back Port Dickson MP Anwar only if he could prove that he has sufficient support to command a simple majority.
"Warisan will support Anwar for PM if he can get past the magic number and hopes that PH will give right of first refusal to Shafie if Anwar can't get past the magic number," he said on his Twitter account yesterday.
The race for the premiership was jump-started after Tan Sri Muhyiddin tendered his resignation on Monday, having lost his majority after 15 Umno MPs withdrew their support for him.
