KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 - Malaysia's new prime minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, will have to draw on his experience of more than a decade in governance as he takes the reins of a country beset by political turmoil, raging COVID - 19 infections and a pandemic-battered economy.
The 61 - year-old was appointed to succeed Muhyiddin Yassin on Friday by Southeast Asian nation's constitutional monarch, who stepped down https: www.reuters.com world asia-pacific malaysian-pm - expected-resign - after-months - political-tornadol - 2021 - 08 - 16 after losing his parliamentary majority.
Ismail Sabri received the support of 114 lawmakers, for a slim majority among Parliament's total of 222.
But his backing comes from the same alliance as Muhyiddin's, which was beset with infighting, raising the prospect of an unstable coalition, analysts say.
The King expressed the hope that the political crisis can end immediately and that all the members of parliament can put aside their political agendas to unify and work together to tackle COVID 19 pandemic for the sake of the people and country.
Ismail Sabri's appointment is a triumphant return to the prime minister's role for his party, the United Malays National Organisation, which ruled for more than 60 years before was toppled over corruption allegations in the 2018 election.
A senior member of the UMNO, Muhyiddin's deputy, Minister in charge of defence and security, was one of the key partners behind Malaysia's response to the pandemic that has killed 13,480 and sicked more than 1.5 million people.
He has been at the receiving end of growing public anger over the handling of the pandemic as infections spread at a record pace despite multiple extended lockdowns.
Rights groups have also criticised the security agencies under Ismail Sabri's watch, as they deported thousands of undocumented migrants and refugees in efforts described as intended to stop the spread of the virus.
Muhyiddin was promoted to deputy primate post last month in a bid by Ismail Sabri to appease UMNO, which was unhappy playing only supporting role in his coalition government.
Mahathir Mohamad formed coalition with UMNO and other parties defeated in the polls of 2018 after opposition leader Muhyiddin collapsed due to infighting last year.
UMNO pulled its support for Muhyiddin last month, citing the premier's failure to manage the pandemic. Muhyiddin, however, went against his party's call and stood behind Ismail Sabri, who eventually stepped down on Monday.
Ismail Sabri might face an unstable coalition in view of his slim UMNO majority and divisions, said Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at Singapore Institute of International Affairs.
There are still many people who don't like him because they think he has betrayed the party and that by betraying the party, he clinched the top job, Oh said.
This may also give the Coalition partners trouble.
Muhyiddin joined Ismail Sabri, but said his alliance backing was conditional on the new prime minister ensuring that his cabinet members were free from corruption charges.
Several UMNO politicians face corruption charges, including president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former prime minister Najib Razak, who was convicted over a multi-billion dollar scandal at State Fund 1 Malaysia Development Berhad last year.
Both men deny wrongdoing. Both remain highly influential and were among the UMNO lawmakers who withdrew support for Muhyiddin.
A lawyer by training, Muhyiddin has been a member of parliament since 2004 and a cabinet minister under two other prime ministers before Ismail Sabri with portfolios such as rural and regional development, agriculture and domestic trade.
The father of four is the majority ethnic Malays, mostly popular with grassroots Malaysians who form the majority of a multi-ethnic population that includes ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indian minorities.
He has however, had controversial comments about Malaysia's minority groups in the past.
In a 2015 Facebook post, Ismail Sabri urged Malays to boycott firms that run ethnic Chinese, media said.
He later deleted the post and clarified that the comments were directed at Chinese businesses who refused to cut the prices of goods despite a drop in oil prices at the time.
He was also questioned by police over the posts.
In 2018, Ismail Sabri again sparked outrage after accusing the opposition Democratic Action Party whose members are mainly ethnic Chinese of aiming to remove the special rights of Malays and uniqueness of Islam, according to media reports.