What’s next in Malaysia’s political rollercoaster as Ismail Sabri Yaakob becomes new PM?

The Muhyiddin loyalist is taking office as political feuding endures amid a worsening Covid-19 crisis and a battered economy

Analysts say Ismail Sabri is unlikely to rock the boat on foreign policy amid the US-China rivalry, while domestically, he’ll have to keep allies happy ahead of an expected election next year

Reading Time:6 minutes

Ismail Sabri Yaakob is Malaysia’s ninth prime minister. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 2:49pm, 21 Aug 2021Updated: 8:50am, 22 Aug 2021

After a weeks-long political turmoil that forced the resignation of Muhyiddin Yassin, Malaysia’s king has sworn in Ismail Sabri Yaakob as Malaysia’s ninth prime minister.

In a political landscape for decades dominated by heavyweights such as Mahathir Mohamad, Anwar Ibrahim and Najib Razak, Ismail Sabri has maintained a relatively low profile.

The 61-year-old is the country’s first prime minister born after 1957, the year Malaysia gained independence from Britain. With Ismail Sabri’s appointment, Malaysia now has the second youngest leader in Southeast Asia, after 60-year-old Joko Widodo of Indonesia.

The Malaysian premiership is a role coveted by many senior politicians from Ismail Sabri’s party, the United Malays National Organisation (Umno).

But the former defence minister is taking office in the toughest of times: formidable rivals remain within and outside Umno, the Covid-19 situation continues to worsen and the economy is staring at the prospect of 0 per cent growth this year.

Ismail Sabri’s new government, yet to be formed, can stay in power until July 2023. He is however expected to call for fresh elections some time next year.

When parliament next convenes on September 6, he is expected to allow a confidence vote as a formality to showcase his firm majority parliamentary backing. The king, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, had previously directed that such a vote must take place.