.JPG "Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob waves at members of the press as he leaves Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur August 19, 2021. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Hari Anggara")
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will not be able to attend the swearing-in ceremony of his Cabinet members scheduled to take place at Istana Negara this afternoon.
His office said the prime minister who was sworn in on August 21 has to undergo self-isolation for Covid-19 with immediate effect.
“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is under self-quarantine today after confirmation that he is a close contact to a Covid-19 patient,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
“As such, the prime minister will not be attending the appointment and swearing-in ceremony of ministers and deputy ministers before His Majesty Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah this evening.”
It said the prime minister will also only participate “virtually” at tomorrow’s Independence Day celebration at the Pahlawan Negara Square in Putrajaya.
Ismail Sabri was sworn in as Malaysia’s ninth prime minister eight days ago and announced his Cabinet and deputy ministers last Friday.
Despite widespread anticipation, he did not name anyone deputy prime minister, choosing instead to adopt the senior minister posts introduced by his predecessor Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in March 2020.
