Political, economic, pandemic issues toughest challenges for PM Ismail Sabri

The one year as the prime minister proved to be the most challenging in Ismail Sabri's political career. He had taken over the nation's leadership at a time when the pandemic was still raging, and its devastating effects are still being felt today.

Ismail Sabri is no stranger to hardship, having grown up in situations where the family had to deal with uncertainty where income was concerned. The Bera MP, therefore, understands perfectly the suffering the people had to go through at the height of the movement controls imposed to check the pandemic, from March 2020 until this March this year, especially those from the B40 group who faced the risk of losing jobs and livelihood.

"That was the most difficult and challenging period for me as I had to choose between lives and livelihood.

"The rest of the decisions were not too difficult for me, but the lockdown was truly a heavy one. I was fearful about job losses ... if the factories closed, how many would lose jobs," he said in 'An Interview with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob' on the theme "Inspirasi Setahun Keluarga Malaysia", at Seri Perdana.

Today marks the first anniversary of Ismail Sabri, 62, helming the 'Keluarga Malaysia' government.

Malaysia, since April, has been in the transition to endemic phase, an exit strategy that has allowed the full reopening of the country's borders and economic sectors.

In rejuvenating the economy, Ismail Sabri then had to deal with another challenge in the form of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which affected the government's economic recovery plans.

"So, it proved to be quite difficult in the beginning. But, Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), if you were to look at Bank Negara's announcement on Malaysia's GDP (Gross Domestic Product), we are the best in Southeast Asia and also when compared to the superpowers, economic giants such as China, Japan, the United States (and) Europe. We are far more ahead where GDP is concerned," he said.

Malaysia recorded an 8.9 per cent GDP growth in the second quarter of 2022. In the January-June period, the country's economy grew by 6.9 per cent.

Taking over the leadership reins at a time when the country was facing political instability, Ismail Sabri, who is an UMNO vice-president, said the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Transformation and Political Stability between the Federal Government and the opposition Pakatan Harapan (PH) was not a matter easily dealt with.

"... it was not easy because we are answerable to our (own) party (on why the MoU was needed). In Malaysia, we are accustomed to thinking that the opposition is the opposition, (and) the government is the government. (And that), the ruling party can never cooperate with the opposition," he said.

On the performance of the Cabinet ministers so far this year, the prime minister said he has yet to make an assessment but acknowledged that many issues such as the price of chicken and cooking oil, in addition to matters pertaining to economic recovery, had been successfully addressed.

"Not all of them were perfect; some were good, others underperformed. So, not really good. But we are looking at things as a whole. If many of the issues have been successfully resolved, then, of course, those were collective results coming from the administration as a whole.

"We consider this success as a collective effort; not merely attributed to any one individual in the Cabinet because Cabinet decisions are collective decisions. Even if you have been a (minister) for a year but hardly spoke a word at Cabinet (meetings), a decision made by the Cabinet is a collective decision that includes yours as well," he said.

On whether there is a need to appoint a deputy prime minister, Ismail Sabri said he was not hampered by the absence of a deputy for now as he had four senior ministers representing coalition parties to assist him.