Malaysia new PM faces tall task in uniting polarized society

Malaysia’s new Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob is about to be sworn in, bringing back the rule of the country’s longest-governing political party

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Malaysia's new Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will be sworn in Saturday, bringing back the rule of the country's longest-governing political party, but he faces a tall task in uniting a polarized society and reviving a slumping economy amid a worsening pandemic. Ismail was the deputy prime minister under the government of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who resigned Monday after less than 18 months in office as infighting in his coalition cost him majority support. Ismail obtained the backing of 114 lawmakers for a slender majority that brought Muhyiddin's alliance back to power. It also returned the premiership to Ismail's United Malays National Organization, which had led Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957 but was ousted in 2018 elections amid a multibillion-dollar financial scandal. “Malaysia has a new PM, with essentially the old politics and players. It's back to the past: UMNO is now in PM seat, returning to power to though elite bargains despite being booted out for corruption in 2018," said Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asian expert with Malaysia's Nottingham University.