Ismail Sabri's future as PM
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Key Highlights
Ismail Sabri's future as PM
Umno against MOU renewal
Second booster
Ismail Sabri's future as PM
The Umno supreme council decided to retain Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the prime minister if BN wins in the next general election.
The announcement is expected to give the Umno vice-president peace of mind amid speculation he could be replaced by a more senior party leader such as Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi or deputy president Mohamad Hassan if BN wins GE15.
It does not guarantee Ismail Sabri the position of prime minister, as was seen in the case of then-incumbent Johor menteri besar Hasni Mohammad, who was formally announced as BN's poster boy but was made to give up the position after winning the election.
However, the decision will likely see Ismail Sabri more willing to call for an early general election instead of pursuing a deal with the opposition to extend his current tenure.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | He says it’s a misuse of the court process. |
 | Federal Court rules it to be inconsistent with the Federal Constitution. |
 | Amirudin and Aminuddin are being challenged. |
Umno against MOU renewal
Umno is setting the table for the 15th general election with the supreme council announcing that the party does not want the memorandum of understanding between the BN-led government and Pakatan Harapan to be extended beyond July.
This is a signal to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob not to pursue an extension of the deal, which is an arrangement for the opposition to shore up the government's slim majority in exchange for reforms.
However, Umno, which lost 16 MPs to defections, gave its commitment to support the anti-hopping law which is part of the reforms promised under the deal.
Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan said the anti-hopping legislation must go ahead without any compromise, in an apparent reference to Perikatan Nasional, which had sought changes to the plan.
The objections had caused delays to the proposed legislation, but the government is tentatively planning a special Parliament sitting on June 7 to proceed with the plan.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | 'People are still traumatised by betrayal’. |
 | Party sec-gen tells Norhizam to 'forget it’. |
 | The aim is to achieve victory in GE15, says Muhyiddin. |
Second booster
The government is planning to administer a second booster Covid-19 vaccine dose for vulnerable groups.
For those who received a two-primer dose regime, this would be their fourth shot.
The targeted vulnerable groups will be those aged 60 and above with a high risk of comorbidities. It will be administered four to six months from the first booster.
Meanwhile, adolescents aged 12 and above who are immunocompromised will also be offered their first booster dose.
It will be administered 28 days after their primer doses are completed.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | It plans to summon others. |
 | This includes the unvaccinated. |
 | He says the app is still relevant as a contact tracing tool. |
What else is happening?
PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak should stop "flip-flopping" about their debate after Najib, who initially issued the challenge, asked for it to only proceed next month and wants a small portal to organise it.
Sam Ke Ting, who was sentenced by the High Court in Johor Bahru to six years imprisonment for reckless driving after hitting eight teens riding bicycles on a highway and causing their deaths, has filed an application seeking leave to appeal her conviction.
Graphic artist Fahmi Reza has again been arrested, this time for an artwork of a chimpanzee cartoon dressed akin to royalty.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | This follows the Johor bicycle tragedy case. |
 | Sabah deputy CM raises the plight of those celebrating Raya. |
 | No supplier yet, but Annuar says it won’t break the budget. |
What are people saying?
 | By S Thayaparan |
 | By P Gunasegaram |
 | By Malaysiakini readers |
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