KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 13 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today touted his federal administration as an example of a stable government led by Umno, contrary to the recent assertion by PAS election director Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.
Ismail Sabri, a vice-president in Umno, proclaimed that his administration has political stability thanks to the unprecedented Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the country’s largest Opposition coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH) last year.
“Even now, Umno is in the government and I’m a prime minister from Umno that is being supported by allies from other parties.
“And we have a stable government as it was the first time in the history of this country that an MoU has been signed between the government and the Opposition. That has never happened before.
“This proves that the country is in a stable condition and this should not be an issue. And what has been said by Kedah MB was not true,” he told reporters at the government’s Keluarga Malaysia Chinese New Year reception held at the Kuala Lumpur Hilton Hotel here.
Ismail Sabri was commenting on Muhammad Sanusi’s remarks yesterday. The PAS leader who is also Kedah mentri besar claimed that Malaysia can only achieve political stability without Umno.
Yesterday, Malay daily Sinar Harian reported Sanusi saying that Malaysia had yet to achieve political stability because Barisan Nasional (BN) was given the chance to be in power again.
He claimed that any state assembly where Umno was in a kingmaker position would be dissolved to pave the way for fresh elections and cited the state polls in Melaka and Johor last year as his basis.
Sanusi said for Malaysia to achieve stability, the government needed to be based on consensus but added that Umno is seen as the party that triggers disputes with its allies.
National news agency Bernama also reported yesterday that Ismail Sabri had described Johor as a state with great potential to make greater progress if there is political stability.
To do that, he said it was important that BN secures victory in the Johor state election on March 12.
Umno held a one-seat majority in the Johor assembly prior to its dissolution on January 22.
