You did not vote for us but we care about you – PM to Malaysians

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin assured Malaysians that his Perikatan Nasional coalition government has their interest at heart.

“This government may not be the government you voted for. But I want all of you to know this government cares for you,” he said in a televised speech this afternoon.

Muhyiddin, who was one of the chief architects behind the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government last month, also conceded that his ascension to the top post could not have happened during a more challenging period.

“I resign to the fact that I came in as your prime minister not at the best moment. I am facing a political, economic and health crisis all at the same time,” he added.

PN, comprising Bersatu, Umno-BN, PAS, and supported by GPS, came into power following the infamous Sheraton Move last month, which plunged the nation into a week-long political crisis.

When the coup was engineered, the Covid-19 outbreak in Malaysia was under control but the situation escalated soon after, with a mosque gathering becoming the epicentre.

Malaysia has since recorded 2,031 cases as of yesterday and 24 deaths, and the government has imposed a nationwide movement control order to curb the spread of the virus.

In his speech, Muhyiddin said the nation is at war with invisible forces.

“The situation we are facing now is unprecedented in history... This unprecedented situation requires unprecedented measures.

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, and children of this beloved country, whether you are Malay, Chinese, Indian, Sikh, Iban, Kadazan, Dusun, Orang Asal, please bear with me and my friends in the cabinet and the government.

“We are not perfect, but we are doing the best we can to pull through this crisis together as one nation. God willing, we will come out stronger when this crisis ends and the dust settles,” he added.

The prime minister also announced RM10 billion in cash handouts for the lower income and middle income groups to help them cope with the economic fallout due to the pandemic.

Despite the outbreak, Muhyiddin, who is also Bersatu president, courted flak when he sacked Marzuki Yahya, a staunch loyalist of former premier and Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad, as the party secretary-general on March 18.

He has since replaced him with Hamzah Zainuddin.

Mahathir has cried foul over Marzuki's removal, arguing that it was not valid since Bersatu's constitution stipulates that the chairperson must be consulted on the appointment and removal of the secretary-general.

Earlier today, the Harapan presidential council also urged the government to focus on battling the outbreak and leave the issue of political appointments aside.

The council said it was aware that there are terminations happening in Mara, Resident Representative Councils (MPP) and Yayasan Kebajikan Negara, among others. - Mkini