KUALA LUMPUR, May 31 — Umno veteran Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman said today that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is wearing "two hats” or playing two roles at the same time, which is one as a party member and the other as the head of the government.
The Pasir Salak MP said that sometimes the two roles that Ismail has to play will clash and he has to be the one to decide which one is best for the country.
"Sometimes there’s a clash between his role as the head of the government and the role as a party leader. So how is he going to tackle that?
"So he has to think what is best [for the country],” he told reporters after attending the Ministry of International Trade and Industry's Aidilfitri open house at Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre here.
His remark came amid pressure against Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri to decide on any replacement for Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin after the latter defected from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.
Bersatu has insisted that the post must be filled by someone from the party, while Umno members have retorted that Ismail Sabri has the full prerogative to decide on the matter.
Commenting on the possibility of an early general election, he said that only the Cabinet members can decide whether the Parliament will be dissolved.
He also reiterated that Umno has no power to dissolve the Parliament and can only advise Ismail to do so.
"It’s up for the Cabinet to decide [whether to dissolve the Parliament], it’s not up to the party to decide.
"The party can ask, pressure, urge and request but constitutionally only the Cabinet can dissolve the Parliament,” he added.
Earlier today, Ismail Sabri told Nikkei Asia that now is not the right time to have an election with Malaysia facing rising inflation, contrary to a speculation that polls may be held before this year ends.
He said that rising costs in food and other living expenses were among the reasons to push back the elections, which only need to be called by September next year.
