PM Ismail Seen Betting On Feuding Factions To Reunite

It has been more than a week since the Melaka election campaign began, but Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has made just one visit so far to the state that is less than a two-hour drive from his seat of power in Putrajaya.

- Shannon Teoh

It has been more than a week since the Melaka election campaign began, but Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has made just one visit so far to the state that is less than a two-hour drive from his seat of power in Putrajaya.

This is despite the uncertainty over the state polls on Saturday due to an expected low turnout and three-way contests between his Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN), Perikatan Nasional (PN) and the opposition Pakatan Harapan (PH).

But his lack of involvement has surprised few observers, given the awkward balance the Premier has to maintain between grudging allies at the federal level.

While the stated position is to seek a clear majority for BN, beating PN and PH but gaining just shy of half the 28-seat assembly will be ideal for Datuk Seri Ismail.

“The best result for the Prime Minister is all three coalitions winning some seats but none with an outright majority. In that way, ‘Mr Harmlessly Popular’ can replicate the trick at federal level by forging a ruling coalition in Melaka with himself as the lynchpin, rendering himself, once again, indispensable,” Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Oh Ei Sun told The Straits Times.