Ismail Hoping To Brush Off 1mdb Scandal In Ge15

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Ismail Sabri Yaakob, currently an Umno vice-president, would be the country’s first leader to pursue an election without being the party’s president.KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob is expected to lead his political party’s campaign in the next general election (GE15), which is widely expected to be called by year end.
Though he began his premiership last August with a clean slate, the dark history of the state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) – at the heart of one of the world’s largest corruption scandals – could still haunt his bid.
Ismail, currently third in line in Umno, would be the country’s first leader to pursue an election without being the party’s president.
His rise marked the party’s return to power after the historic defeat of a coalition led by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Now Umno, the party that has led the country for all but a few years since independence in 1957, is keen to cement itself as the ruling party amid swirling graft allegations.
1MDB changed from a state wealth fund into a money-laundering operation, with billions of ringgit in public funds and business loans siphoned into private bank accounts of former prime minister Najib Razak and some of his connections. The scandal was the primary factor for the defeat of Umno led by Najib in the 2018 general election.
Najib’s final appeal on his 12-year prison sentence is expected to begin this month, subject to no further delays by the defence. The top court’s decision could determine Najib’s availability to participate in the upcoming polls, either as a candidate or as Umno’s star campaigner.
In a recent interview with Nikkei Asia, Ismail – the country’s third prime minister in four years – signalled that he is trying to overcome the 1MDB stigma in getting the support to secure his premiership.
Despite believing that the 1MDB embarrassment is more or less a thing of the past that will not deter Umno’s chances in GE15, he said voters should take into consideration the criminal charges pressed against alleged wrongdoers in 1MDB.
“I leave it (the 1MDB scandal) to the voters to consider, but they must take into account that actions have been taken with trials still ongoing,” he said.
“1MDB is an old issue and it will do no good being raised again because actions have been taken,” he noted, adding that “we do not know the final verdict of (Najib’s) case yet because of Federal Court procedures.”
Najib was convicted in 2020 on multiple charges linked to 1MDB. He denies any wrongdoing but faces 12 years in prison if his final appeal fails.
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, a former deputy prime minister, is on trial for money laundering and corruption charges unrelated to 1MDB, which he also denies.
Political observers agree that 1MDB, although a serious issue which led to a historic election in 2018, will not play a major role in the next polls – for now, at least.
Umno’s resounding victories in state legislative elections in Johor and Melaka are examples of the party’s return to fame, said Oh Ei Sun, senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.
“It would appear that many Malaysians, especially those who are (suffering) socioeconomically, either have a very short memory or have summarily set aside the traditional notion of right and wrong in favour of promises of handouts, however minuscule they might be,” he said.
“This can be clearly gleaned from the stunning results of the Melaka and Johor state elections for Umno, which were at least partially attributed to Najib canvassing the states for votes, often to (albeit staged) hero’s welcomes from the toiling masses,” added Oh.
Hafidzi Razali, senior analyst at BowerGroupAsia, told Nikkei that Ismail’s real dilemma is whether he is closely associated with Najib or Zahid in the run-up to GE15.
“A more pertinent question is whether Ismail can withstand the influence of Najib-Zahid’s camp leading up to the 15th general election,” he said.
“As the prime minister and Umno’s prime nominee for the election, Ismail would not wish to be seen as having to yield to the two most controversial yet powerful characters in Umno,” Hafidzi added.
He said that though 1MDB would remain a legacy issue for the foreseeable future, Umno’s grassroots have moved on from the stigma, thus regaining the confidence of a solid voter base.
He also said Ismail will have no choice but to face issues related to 1MDB.
“Ismail has been with Umno through thick and thin, hence he will have to make do with what he inherits.”
Azmi Hassan, an academician and geo-strategist, said the 1MDB scandal did not provide the opposition with much ammunition during the Johor and Melaka elections.
He said Najib – though implicated in the 1MDB scandal – remains an asset for Ismail and Umno, thanks to his growing popularity among suburban and rural voters.
“The voters did not buy the opposition’s campaign … Najib was seen as popular and would remain an asset to Umno and Ismail,” he said. - FMT

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