Ismail Sabri Yaakob, born on January eighteenth, nineteen sixty, is a prominent Malaysian politician and lawyer who served as the ninth prime minister of Malaysia from August twenty-one, twenty twenty-one, to February twenty-two, twenty twenty-two. His tenure marked the shortest premiership in the country's history, lasting just fifteen months. Uniquely, he was the only prime minister without a presidential role in the governing party, and he was the first to be born after Malaysia's independence.
Hailing from Pahang, Ismail began his professional journey as a lawyer before becoming actively involved in the United Malays National Organization (UMNO). He entered the Malaysian Parliament as the Member of Parliament for Bera in two thousand four and currently holds the position of Division Chief of Bera within UMNO, a key component of the Barisan Nasional coalition. His political career includes serving as the vice president of UMNO from June twenty eighteen to March twenty twenty-three.
Before ascending to the premiership, Ismail held several cabinet positions under former Prime Ministers Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib Razak from March two thousand eight until the coalition's defeat in the two thousand eighteen general election. He was also the fifteenth Leader of the Opposition during the Pakatan Harapan administration from March two thousand nineteen until its collapse in February twenty twenty, amid the political turmoil that gripped Malaysia.
In the Perikatan Nasional government, Ismail played a crucial role in the country's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as Senior Minister for Security and briefly as Deputy Prime Minister for forty days. Following the resignation of his predecessor, Muhyiddin Yassin, Ismail successfully negotiated his appointment as prime minister in August twenty twenty-one, gaining the support of the majority of Members of Parliament. During his time in office, he lifted the Movement Control Order in response to the vaccination program's expansion and oversaw the Twelfth Malaysia Plan.
Despite his achievements, Ismail Sabri has faced controversy, particularly for his remarks supporting the pre-eminence of ethnic Malays in Malaysia, which have sparked significant debate within the nation.