Almost all Umno divisions support Ismail Sabri as PM after GE15

Umno divisional meetings which took place last weekend saw almost all of the 191 divisions pass the motion to support Ismail Sabri Yaakob as prime minister.

The support given by the Umno divisions was their own initiative and not because they were instructed to do so, as stressed by party vice-president Mahdzir Khalid yesterday.

Another vice-president, Mohamed Khaled Nordin, said the motion was also in line with the Umno supreme council’s earlier decision to name Ismail Sabri as Umno’s candidate for PM if BN wins the 15th general election.

“Just like what our president (Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) said before, it is already decided,” he said when contacted in Kuala Lumpur today.

In fact, Zahid was also reported as saying yesterday that Ismail Sabri will remain as BN’s poster boy and PM candidate in GE15 and that the coalition’s stand on this would not change if BN succeeded in getting to administer from Putrajaya.

On April 14, the Umno supreme council unanimously proposed Ismail Sabri as the party’s PM candidate for GE15.

Meanwhile, sources said 132 Umno divisions had brought forth and passed the motion at their meetings which concluded yesterday.

Among the divisions were Machang and Ketereh in Kelantan; Tenggara, Pontian, Parit Sulong, and Tebrau in Johor; Alor Gajah (Malacca), Tampin and Jelebu (Negeri Sembilan), Padang Terap (Kedah), Arau (Perlis), Kuala Terengganu (Terengganu), and Libaran (Sabah).

The motion was also passed by all 13 divisions in Penang as confirmed by state liaison chairperson Musa Sheikh Fadzir.

Tampin Umno chief Mohd Isam Mohd Isa said the support given to Ismail Sabri was mainly due to his capability to stabilise the political uncertainty despite leading a joint government.

Meanwhile, Kuala Terengganu Umno deputy chief Dr Najmil Faiz Mohamed Aris in his Facebook post said the division also passed the motion to enable the party’s agenda for the people to be continued.

“Our party president also supports Ismail Sabri as Umno’s PM candidate and this has been agreed upon by the supreme council. This decision is made collectively involving the grassroots at the branch and division levels,” he said.

Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan, when contacted, said the support for Ismail Sabri was to strengthen the solidarity between the party president and the prime minister.

He said the matter was decided in the previous Umno supreme council meeting and it was repeated in Zahid’s speech at the Bagan Datuk Umno delegates meeting, yesterday.

- Bernama

Budget 2023 will be presented again before year-end: Ismail Sabri

Ismail Sabri to stump for Zahid in Bagan Datuk at solidarity event

Mat Sabu: I may be dead soon, up to youths to save nation

Ismail Sabri remains as BN's poster boy, candidate as PM - Zahid

Ismail Sabri: What did Hadi mean by calling Umno 'murky' party?

Khairy steps aside for Mat Hasan in Rembau

Ismail Sabri: Stop sabotage, ensure BN's victory for GE15

Motion supporting Ismail Sabri as 10th PM dominates Umno division meetings

People's mandate best to restore political stability - Ismail Sabri

Caretaker PM, EC file to strike out legal challenge against GE15