KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — DAP leader Lim Kit Siang has today challenged Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to skip contesting the 15th general election (GE15) to prove that Barisan Nasional’s (BN) prime minister candidate is Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He jokingly said that even Ismail Sabri himself doesn’t believe that the party will give him the post if his coalition wins.
“If Zahid believes in Ismail Sabri to become the PM if Umno wins, there’s only one way.
“Zahid, don’t stand for election so that it’s clear that Ismail Sabri is Umno’s poster boy for the next election,” Lim told reporters at a DAP event in Kuching.
The recording of his remarks was made available to Malay Mail.
It is expected that Ahmad Zahid will defend his Bagan Datuk federal seat in Perak in the election.
In a separate event for Kuching DAP last night, Lim had said that there is a possibility for BN or Ahmad Zahid to renege on the pledge for the so-called “poster boy” to be its prime minister.
“We will see on November 5 whether Zahid is a parliamentary candidate or not,” he said, referring to Nomination Day.
“So long as he is a parliamentary candidate, Ismail Sabri cannot be sure that he would be prime minister if Umno-BN coalition forms the next federal government of Malaysia — unless Zahid is defeated in the GE15.”
Despite only holding the post of vice-president in his party, Ismail Sabri was given the premiership in 2021 because Ahmad Zahid was charged with corruption cases, and Umno’s deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan doesn’t have a parliamentary seat needed to qualify as a prime minister.
Last week, Ahmad Zahid said Umno will maintain its stand to name Ismail Sabri as its candidate for prime minister if BN wins the GE15.
Ahmad Zahid denied the Opposition’s claim that he would be appointed as prime minister if BN returns to govern the federal government, and said his party will not go beyond the absolute authority of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in appointing a prime minister.
