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Malaysia has a new prime minister (PM), Ismail Sabri Yaakob, but what about the previous one?

On Aug. 18, Bersatu supreme council member Eddin Syazlee Shith suggested that outgoing premier Muhyiddin Yassin could be appointed to the post of minister mentor.

But UMNO members have questioned the creation of such a post.

Why not MY for MM?

Malay Mail specifically cited Singapore's minister mentor role, filled by the first PM Lee Kuan Yew, which he held after serving as senior minister for 14 years.

Lee was in 81 when he took on the MM role.

It also cited Utusan Malaysia, who quoted Eddin as saying:

"Muhyiddin will serve as the minister mentor. Given that he has held the highest positions in the government such as prime minister or deputy prime minister, then, in principle, he should not have resigned at the outset.

It’s just that due to the issue of losing the support of elected representatives in the government, he is the cause of this situation."

Eddin also claimed that Bersatu member Hamzah Zainudin, who previously served as Home Affairs Minister, would be made Deputy Prime Minister.

No MMs

However, an UMNO supreme council member has publicly rejected the suggestion.

Mohd Puad Zarkashi said in a statement "don't bother" with a minister mentor post.

On Aug. 22, Utusan Malaysia, cited by Malaysiakini, reported that another UMNO member, party vice president Mohamed Khaled Nordin, asked rhetorically what duties would the post entail.

He also questioned whether the country needed the position in the first place, and added:

"Singapore had a minister mentor from among its former prime ministers who had served for a long time and provided stellar service.

Even so, the minister mentor was appointed with a specific purpose. He was not appointed on a whim to repay a debt or to merely fill a seat."

He urged the politicians to give Ismail Sabri the time and space to make the decision.

Top image from Muhyiddin Yassin's Facebook page and Charlie Rose.

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