In a “strictly personal” letter to Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra written in September 1958, Dr Ismail reminded the Prime Minister that it was now time to review “our agreement”, which was that he would be stationed in the USA only for a year (Letters). The conscientious person that he was, Dr Ismail wished to have exact clarifications regarding qualifications for electoral candidates. He was worried that Malayans who were not resident in the country during the six months preceding the elections might not be eligible to run for office. He was eager to remain the representative for his old constituency of Johore Timor.

The best time for him to return to Malaya was January or February 1959, since he expected elections to be held in July or August. To play it safe where constitutional rules were concerned, he wished to be resident in the country at least six months before elections — the country's first as an independent state — were held. Furthermore, the General Assembly at the United Nations would end in the middle of December, and if he left immediately after that, there would be ample time for the Tunku to find a replacement for him. He ventured to advise the Prime Minister on the matter of his successor.