Ismail Sabri Yaakob attended the parliamentary meeting in Kuala Lumpur in this handout photo released on November 2, 2020.
Photo: AFP/Famer Roheni/ Department I of Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR-The King of Malaysia appointed Ismail Sabri Yassin as prime minister on Friday to replace Muhyiddin Yassin, who stepped down this week after losing a majority in parliament.
Muhyiddin’s deputy, Ismail Sabri, took over because the Southeast Asian country is struggling to cope with the surge in Covid-19 infections and economic recession, and the public is increasingly angry about the way the health crisis is handled.
The palace said in a statement that with the support of 114 of the 222 members of the parliament, he received a majority of support.
His appointment brought the role of prime minister back to Malaysia’s “big old party” Malay National Unity Organization (UMNO), which was rejected in the 2018 general election due to corruption and bribery.
The king has stated that the new prime minister will have to face a vote of confidence in the parliament shortly after his appointment to prove his majority.
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