Even as Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob was enjoying his first moments on the job, a seemingly innocuous dispute over whether his new government is a continuation of the Perikatan Nasional administration of Muhyiddin Yassin seemed to expose underlying tensions.

Muhyiddin, in congratulating Ismail Sabri, had notably called it a PN government

“I give him my full support and God willing, I will...