KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob says he has always given Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi due respect even when he was prime minister.
"He is the president of my party. I was number three (vice president I), I must respect him," he said on an episode of the Keluar Sekejap podcast.
The Bera Member of Parliament said that out of respect for Zahid, he would be mindful of his actions to avoid offending anyone.
Ismail said from the time he served as defence minister and deputy prime minister following the Sheraton Move to the point he became prime minister, he would have many bodyguards.
"But to avoid hurting anyone's feelings, I never asked to be dropped off at level 4 where people could see me or the president would hear the (police outrider's) sirens.
"The police could not turn on their sires, I did (instructed for) that because I wanted to take care of his feelings.
"I would enter from the parking lot at level 3 and go up (take the lift)," he said on the podcast hosted by Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan.
Ismail also said that even when meeting Zahid, who did not hold a government post at the time, he did not ask him to go to the Prime Minister's Office.
"I would go to Yayasan Akal Budi in Country Heights (Zahid's office), and the moment we (convoy) entered Country Heights, the police would turn off their sirens."
Ismail said only one car would enter Yayasan Akal Budi, while the rest of his security detail would wait outside the building's gates.
He also denied there was tension between Zahid and himself during his tenure as prime minister.