Annuar calls for Ismail to be made BN chairman

Ketereh MP Annuar Musa has called for Ismail Sabri Yaakob to be made chairman of Barisan Nasional (BN) following Umno’s decision to nominate him as its candidate for prime minister at the general election to come.

In a statement, he said the decision would allow Ismail to focus on mobilising all forces to restore Umno to strength and regain the trust of the people.

“I am of the opinion that the time has come for the prime minister to be entrusted as the chairman of BN and the main director of the coalition’s election machinery,” he said.

“As the candidate for prime minister, Ismail should be given ample space to map out an administration capable of bringing a new order to the country’s political scene, one that is fresh and clean, and which possesses integrity and is able to restore the country.”

Ismail was appointed as prime minister in August last year, replacing Muhyiddin Yassin who resigned after losing his fragile majority following the move by a group of MPs aligned with Najib Razak to revoke their support for him.

He was among the Umno leaders and Cabinet members who refused to join Najib and fellow party boss Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in campaigning for Muhyiddin’s ouster.

The BN chairmanship is currently held by Zahid, who is also Umno president.