WITH Umno pulling support from Prime Minister Tan Sri Mahiaddin Yassin, a former minister reminisced the days when the premier openly castigated former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi until the latter quit.
“I remember after that 12th General Election (GE12), Mahiaddin was calling for Abdullah to resign earlier than the one-year time agreed by the Umno supreme council.
“Umno leaders then were aghast as this was not what was agreed upon. However, Mahiaddin still shamelessly remained in Abdullah’s Cabinet.
“So, I urge Umno members now not feel bad about what’s happening now or with Mahiaddin’s predicament,” said Umno veteran Tan Sri Shahrir Samad.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Mahiaddin Yassin appointed Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob from Umno to become deputy prime minister.
He also promoted Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein of Umno to the rank of senior minister.
However, hours after the appointments, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that with the blessings of its supreme council, his party was withdrawing support from Mahiaddin. He also called the premier to step down from his position.
After the Barisan Nasional (BN) lost its customary two-thirds majority at the Dewan Rakyat, Mahiaddin, then a Umno vice president, openly criticised Abdullah and called for his resignation.
Despite getting brickbats from his party vice president, Abdullah did not take any action against him and subsequently made way for Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to take over the reign.
Touching on the matter, Shahrir said that with Ismail Sabri appointed as deputy prime minister, the people need not worry as the leadership transition is clearly in place.
“Before this, we had senior ministers who may bicker among themselves not knowing who will be next after Mahiaddin.
“But now, Ismail Sabri can take over the premiership for the time-being. The Government will not collapse,” he opined.
Advising Ismail Sabri, Shahrir urged him to seek blessings from the party if he is to take up the top job.
“Emulate former prime minister Tun Hussein Onn and Abdullah, who sought Dewan Rakyat support right after taking over the premiership.
“However, I’m just curious whether Mahiaddin really cares that he has lost support from Umno. Does he even care that he has lost Dewan Rakyat support?” the former Johor Bahru MP queried. – July 8, 2021
