Abang Jo, Fadhlina Sidek named as potential PMX successor as PMXI candidacy gains traction

Focus Malaysia

7 days ago

FALL-OUT from Saturday's (July 26) Turun Anwar rally continues. This time in the form of continued chatter online about potential candidates as PMXI.
A list had already been discussed in FocusM by weighing up the pros and cons of each individual's hypothetical suitability for office.
These discussions have been rampant on social media. As highlighted by political observer Khalid Karim STEMKITA (@Khalidkarim) on X, the issue is very much at the forefront of Malaysians' thinking at the moment.
Apparently, certain dissenters just want the ouster of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim They are not insisting on forming any backdoor government which is an interesting proposition in itself.
Did I read it correctly?
They want Anwar to turun but NOT for Unity Gov to turun.
No intention to tebuk tap but just to change PM.
But who is fit to take over from Anwar?
Fadhlina maybe
— khalid karim STEMKITA (@khalidkarim) July 25, 2025
Khalid ended his post by suggesting current Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek as a potential candidate. The post has generated over 256.2K views, suggesting that the poser is very much in the minds of Malaysians.
Of course, many gave their two sen on who could take over with some dismissing the suggestion that the Nibong Tebal MP and PKR women's wing chief is a worthy candidate on grounds that 'she babbles a lot' and 'she's always flip-flopping like there's no tomorrow'.
The name of Sarawak premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg was also mooted with one commenter pointing to the good job he has done at state level.
However, some suggested that he is disinterested with the poster himself dismissing the idea on the basis that there is no way an East Malaysian leader will eventually be made PM. One commenter rightly put it that Abang Jo is not even an MP to begin with.
Plantation and Commodities Minister and UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Ghani was also mentioned with some claiming that he is an expert in economic matters. One commenter even proposed that while PMX can remain the premier, Johari can be made the Finance Minister.
Ex-PM Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was also mentioned in view of his past premiership experience aside from having previously addressed the United Nations (UN) Assembly.
One commenter even joked that the Turun Anwar rally was part of ousted PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli's 'grand movement', insinuating that it is part of a power grab.
Interestingly, incarcerated former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak was suggested given he 'was good in economic management'. This suggestion was given short shrift by the poster who highlighted various examples of mismanagement of economic affairs under the former Pekan MP.
Although the weekend rally was supposedly a PAS-led movement, one commenter claimed that he would not be at all surprised if the attendees were made up of UMNO loyalists.
He insinuated that it was a conniving move by UMNO to grab power while publicly maintaining support for PMX.
However, not everyone believed that a change would be good as a rotating door at Putrajaya was not good for the nation.
One commenter contended that while PMX might not be the best, the lack of viable alternatives mean he will continue to be PM. An effective opposition is what the country needs alongside a competitive environment to improve performance of politicians.
Echoing this sentiment, another commenter reckoned that it was better to judge the Madani government upon it completing its term. Constant change would lead to disaster, he claimed. – July 31, 2025