Oh Ismail Sabri What A Big Letdown

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Did anyone of you seriously think that Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob is a reformer? By now, after he has revealed his cabinet line-up, you should be able to form a better judgement, perhaps.
Someone just posted in my inbox that “insanity is using the same old thing and expecting a miracle”. I need not say more.
As the premier went to Kuantan to submit his cabinet list to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Thursday, the nation hit a new record high of 393 Covid-19 deaths.
A day later, many Malaysians probably ‘died’ a second death after viewing Ismail Sabri’s new lineup.
What on earth was the prime minister thinking? He has done nothing new but to unveil former premier Muhyiddin Yassin cabinet 2.0, claiming it was his new one.
To put on record, Ismail Sabri’s lineup only saw five new ministers and four fresh deputy ministers.
The remaining 26 ministers (excluding Ismail Sabri) and 34 deputy ministers were either kept in the same portfolio or reshuffled.
So, I must seriously ask: What is going on, Ismail Sabri? The majority of Malaysians heaved a big sigh of relief after the non-performing backdoor prime minister was forced to resign following 17 long, tedious months in office.
After Muhyiddin stepped down on Aug 16, the rakyat was looking forward to a new dawn, a fresh start, a change for the better, hoping for a reformer to take us out of this rut.

Former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin
But what did you present to us, Ismail Sabri? The same, bloated cabinet of many non-performers and worse, you have included some known “talkers, not doers” within Umno, plus a former menteri besar who was ousted by his own coalition partners.
My dear friend in Kota Kinabalu, a former press secretary to a former Sabah chief minister, said it for many with this post: “The new cabinet lineup unveiled can be summed up in one word - disappointing.
“It doesn’t reflect imagination and innovation in forming a team that is capable of formulating action plans to combat the deadly Covid-19 pandemic.
“The appointment of Maximus Johnity Ongkili as Sabah and Sarawak affairs minister is a giant step backwards. A seasoned minister like him from the Borneo states should be elevated to a senior minister and take charge of a more important portfolio.
“Another backward step is following the old BN tradition of appointing the MCA chief, Wee Ka Siong, as transport minister," my Sabah friend wrote. 
“The new PM’s moves clearly reflected the lack of fresh initiatives to tackle the coronavirus and pave the way towards economic recovery.
“The new cabinet is expected to find solutions and initiatives for the institutional reforms promised by the PM. Looking at Ismail Sabri’s ‘business as usual’ lineup, Malaysians can find little hope for such reforms to materialise," my friend concluded.
It is now clear to all - Ismail Sabri is no reformer. He is just a politician playing politics, toying with the numbers game and going all out to please the various factions in order to win support for himself.
This is exactly what his predecessor was doing and what we genuinely thought we could get rid of when Muhyiddin resigned. 
No, Malaysia, we are getting more of the same. That is not only disappointing but, devastating.




And no, Ismail Sabri, your stale cabinet is not “for the sake of maintaining stability and putting the interests and safety of the Malaysia Family first”, as you have claimed.

It is also not about a strategic move to free Malaysia from the threats of the Covid-19 pandemic, economic uncertainty and political turmoil.

I see none of that in your words and actions in the past week that you have been prime minister.

Going all out to please your coalition partners and keeping those ministers known to possess limited talent is not what the public expects of their new PM.
So too are your feeble attempts at cosmetic changes – they are easily distinguishable by a discerning citizenry.
It is impossible to comprehend why you have reappointed ministers who were not able to show any successes at all in their work over the past 17 long months.
If only you were bold enough to try fresh faces who could have added value to your administration. A better leader would be prepared to take those chances, rather than be stuck with non-performers.
Let me share an example. Appointing Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan to a senior cabinet position would have been considered a brave move by the new PM but that did not happen. It was a missed opportunity for Ismail Sabri to show that he could be his own man at times, at the very least.




Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan
Two days ago, I had expressed my disbelief about the prime minister’s “Malaysian Family” pronouncement, telling him that leaving out the opposition and deciding against a unity government concept was acting directly contrary to his much-hyped “Malaysian Family”.
I hate to say this but I was right. Ismail Sabri, you have no intention to build a Malaysian Family. Your idea of a Malaysian Family is only about those who are useful to you in propping up your political career. The rest of us are probably irrelevant.
I’m not sorry for also stating that I have no faith in your leadership because that’s the truth. Seeing your cabinet lineup only reinforced that lack of confidence.
And to be honestly blunt, neither do I think that you, Mr Prime Minister, have the courage to take action against any of your non-performing ministers after 100 days.
I wish to be proven wrong on this and I would be ready to apologise if just one under-performing minister gets the axe by December. - Mkini

FRANCIS PAUL SIAH is the author of “Hijack in Malaysia: The Fall of Pakatan Harapan”. Obtain autographed copies from [email protected].





The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.

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