Deal-making and why Zahid is soft with Ismail

[superadmin]

PETALING JAYA: Background deals could be the reason for Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s soft stance in his relationship with his party vice-president, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is now prime minister.

Political analysts say Zahid is not likely to criticise Ismail for appointing his predecessor Muhyiddin Yassin to head the National Recovery Council despite Zahid’s hostility towards the former prime minister.

Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs speculated that Zahid’s faction in Umno was still working out deals with Ismail.

“We are not privy to the kind of deals they have reached or may be trying to secure,” he told FMT. “It could involve Zahid’s presidency going unchallenged by Ismail.”

Any verbal attack could upset the negotiations, he added.

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