After the king named its candidate, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, as the country's new leader on Friday, Malaysia's longest-governing political party reclaimed the premiership it lost in a shock 2018 election defeat.
Ismail, 61, served as deputy prime minister in Muhyiddin Yassin's government, which resigned Monday after less than 18 months in office due to infighting within his coalition.
Muhyiddin's partnership is effectively restored with Ismail's appointment. It also restores the United Malays National Organisation's control, which had led Malaysia since its independence from Britain in 1957 but was deposed in 2018 elections following a multibillion-dollar financial scandal.
Mr Ismail received a narrow majority with the support of 114 members of parliament, according to King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah. On Saturday, he will be sworn in as Malaysia's ninth Prime Minister.
The monarch made the announcement after meeting with state Malay rulers, who recommended him on the appointment. In Malaysia, the king's role is mostly ceremonial, but he picks the prime minister who he believes has the majority of support in Parliament.
Sultan Abdullah expressed his optimism that Ismail's appointment will bring the country's political turmoil to an end. He asked MPs to put their differences aside and work together to combat the country's increasing plague.
“Ismail’s appointment was not unexpected. With this, Umno is now back in the driver’s seat,” said James Chin, an Asia expert at Australia’s University of Tasmania.
Ismail’s 114 votes exceed the 111 needed for a simple majority but is close to the backing Muhyiddin had and was unable to keep. Ismail is from Umno, the larger party in the alliance, leaving him on firmer ground, but he still needs Muhyiddin’s party for enough support to lead.
Angry Malaysians launched an online petition to protest against Ismail’s candidacy, with more than 340,000 signatures collected so far. Many believe his appointment will restore the status quo, with its perceived failed response to a worsening pandemic.
Malaysia has one of the world’s highest infection rates and deaths per capita, despite a seven-month state of emergency and a lockdown since June. Daily new infections have more than doubled since June to hit a record of 23,564 on Friday, bringing the country’s total to more than 1.5 million cases. Deaths have surged to above 13,000.
A lawyer before he joined politics, Ismail held several ministerial posts in previous Umno governments. As trade minister, he courted controversy in 2015 when he urged ethnic Malay consumers to boycott profiteering Chinese businesses. He was also slammed for supporting the vaping industry, which is dominated by Malays, despite warnings from the health ministry.
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