Opinion: Umno looks set to throw Ismail Sabri under the bus

Opinion: Umno looks set to throw Ismail Sabri under the bus


15 Mar 2025 • 5:00 PM MYT


TheRealNehruism
Writer. Seeker. Teacher

Image credit: Focus Malaysia

Last week, Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki declared that the party has nothing to do with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) investigating former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, which has so far led to the seizure of RM170 million in cash and gold bars.


“Umno has no involvement in the discovery of the seized items and firmly believes that the MACC must be given the space to carry out its investigation in a fair and unhindered manner,” he said in a statement.


Asyraf would be so vehement in distancing Umno from the matter, that he would even threaten to sue anyone who linked Ismail Sabri’s troubles with the party.


Today (March 12), Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has also declared that the seized funds did not belong to the party, and referred to Ismail Sabri’s problem with the law as a “personal matter. “


“We regard this as a personal case, an individual matter,” he told reporters during a breaking-fast event with Umno Supreme Council members.


Umno’s lack of remonstration in regards to Ismail Sabri’s case lies in stark contrast to its vehement opposition to the way that another former prime minister that belonged to its party, Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak, is being treated.


In Najib’s case, Umno has been undivided in its support for him, even until today, although Najib has been found guilty of corruption, sentenced and is currently lying in prison.


From seeking his pardon to rallying to demand that a royal addendum that will see Najib being released into house arrest, Umno has shown continuous support and solidarity to Najib through his trouble.


On the other hand, Umno doesn’t seem to be very concerned about Ismail Sabri, although Ismail is supposedly in ill health, after falling unconscious in his house, a day before MACC arrested four of his aides.


Ismail Sabri was rushed to the hospital on 22 February.


He was so sick, that though he was scheduled to provide a second statement to the MACC on March 5, the appointment was postponed after he again fell ill.


A later appointment, set for March 7, was also deferred after the Bera member of parliament submitted another Medical Chit (MC) covering him until March 12.


Although up to two days ago, the doctor treating Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was unable to confirm if the former prime minister will be fit to meet MACC investigators this week, it looks like Ismail Sabri is finally healthy enough to face the authorities tomorrow ( March 13).


Either he is healthy enough or his MC has expired, but after more than 3 weeks of recuperating, one way or another, Ismail Sabri is going to have to face the music tomorrow, and by the looks of it, he is going to face the music all alone.


I doubt anybody is going to accompany Ismail Sabri to the MACC office tomorrow, what more organise a rally to show him and the country that the party is behind him.


No one, it seems ,are even giving him any words of encouragement or statement of support.


It is as if the whole of Umno has washed their hands on Ismail Sabri, and are just waiting for the authorities to be done with him, so that they can do the formalities and forget about him.


Najib’s trouble with the law started after he lost his position as the prime minister and resigned as Umno’s president.


Ismail Sabri’s problem however, started when rumours were circulating that the opponents of current Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had reached agreement to topple the Madani government and install Ismail Sabri as the 11th prime minister of Malaysia.


From this we can perhaps conclude that if you are punished after you left your power and position, then you can expect sympathy and support, but if you are facing punishment after you are alleged be trying to bypass those above you, challenge the powers that be and scale to the top position, then be ready to abandoned to suffer alone, after you are thrown under the bus.