KOTA KINABALU, April 15 ― Umno ministers and deputy ministers are thanking the Supreme Council led by president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for choosing continuity and agreeing on Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob as the prime minister candidate for the next election (GE15).

In a joint statement, the group said that this was a good show of leadership by the top two executives ― Ahmad Zahid and deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan ― and a manifestation of Zahid’s “open soul”.

“The ministers and deputy ministers from Umno would like to express their thanks and gratitude to the Umno leadership for their decision, and vow to work as hard as possible to ensure plans for the country’s recovery goes smoothly until Parliament is dissolved and the mandate returns to the people,” they said in a statement here.

Under Ismail Sabri’s leadership, they said the country was now in the “transition to endemic” phase and more social activities were being opened to allow for a Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration soon.

To aid the recovery, a new minimum wage policy will be implemented soon, and also a one third women policy.

“The nomination of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob as the sole Umno candidate for Prime Minister will ensure continuity to all the plans and agenda post pandemic, and also give confidence to the people who want to see a stable government in power from GE15,” they said.

The statement was jointly issued bearing the names of 10 ministers and 10 deputy ministers led by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein.