BN to honour three-DPM proposal

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional will see it through if the proposal to have three deputy prime minister posts is in its election manifesto, says Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

For now, the caretaker Prime Minister said Barisan was focusing on winning the 15th General Election (GE15).

“We will focus on winning first. If it is in our manifesto, we will see it through,” he told reporters after attending the closing ceremony of the Eksplorasi Komuniti Kreatif Keluarga Malaysia (Expresi@Finas) programme at Kompleks Studio Merdeka, Finas, here yesterday.

During a visit to Sabah on Sunday, Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi spoke about the possibility of having three DPM posts to represent Sabah, Sarawak and the peninsula, if the coalition emerged victorious in GE15.

He said Sabah Barisan and Gabungan Parti Sarawak could suggest to Ismail Sabri to include this in their election manifesto.

Meanwhile, Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan told reporters in Pontian, Johor, that having three deputy prime minister positions would not be “wasteful”.

Instead, he said having the DPM positions in the Barisan manifesto would be a game changer for the coalition.

Group expression: Ismail Sabri (centre), caretaker Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa (second from left) and Finas chairman Datuk Seri Zurainah Musa (second from right) having a group photo taken during the function. — Bernama

“Three DPMs are seen as the best choice, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, because it could aid the Prime Minister,” he was quoted as saying.

This would be better than having four senior ministers, he added.

(In August last year, Ismail Sabri named four senior ministers in his Cabinet. These comprised the portfolios of International Trade and Industry, Education, Works and Defence.)

Meanwhile, in countering Barisan, Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said they would be appointing two DPMs should the coalition win GE15.

His press secretary Tunku Nashrul Tunku Abaidah said there would be two DPM positions – one each from Peninsular Malaysia, and Sabah and Sarawak.

“This stance and spirit has been consistent since the Pakatan Rakyat era until now,” he said.

On another matter, Ismail Sabri said Barisan should be reelected so that the government could implement Budget 2023.

“This is not a manifesto because we already have the allocations.

“Manifestos are promises to be fulfilled but there have yet to be allocations.

“The government that I’m leading should be chosen again so that we can realise all of the aid and initiatives,” he said.