MUHYIDDIN BEGGED MAHATHIR TO MEET HIM – BUT MAHATHIR REFUSED: THE DIRT STARTS TO SPILL OUT FROM BERSATU – AS TAKEN BY FRIGHT, MUHYIDDIN’S MEN START TO ATTACK DR M

DR Mahathir Mohamad’s bid to move a no-confidence vote against the prime minister has a personal motive rather than the interest of the nation, said a Bersatu leader today.

Party supreme council member Wan Saiful Wan Jan said the motion was badly timed as the government was working hard to combat the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic fallout caused by it.

“I am disappointed by his action…this is his personal action which does not reflect the party’s stand.

“When Muhyiddin Yassin and his cabinet are working hard to assist the people overcome this difficult period, it is inappropriate to give precedence to self interest.

“This is not the time to seek personal revenge. This motion is detached from reality,” he said in a statement.

Earlier today, Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof said he had allowed Dr Mahathir’s notice to table a motion of no confidence against Muhyiddin in the parliament sitting on May 18.

The motion can now be put to the MPs for a vote, putting Muhyiddin’s two-month old Perikatan Nasional government under pressure.

The motion also places Bersatu members in a spot as both the leaders are from the party.

While Muhyiddin is the Bersatu president, Dr Mahathir is the founding chairman.

Wan Saiful said Dr Mahathir had not brought up the issue of the motion to the party supreme council to discuss.

He also rued the fact that Dr Mahathir had rebuffed Muhyiddin’s call for a private so that they could sort out their differences.

“Muhyiddin has been calling for such a meeting for some time now. Dr Mahathir could have just met Muhyiddin.

“He should not have worked to derail the government led by his own party. Who benefits from such a move?” 

The May 18 Parliament sitting is the first of the year. It was delayed from March 9 after the Pakatan Harapan government was ousted through political defections and manoeuvring by former PKR leaders, a Bersatu faction, Umno and PAS.

Bersatu joined Perikatan Nasional to form the government and Muhyiddin was subsequently appointed prime minister.

The ruling coalition has said that the parliamentary session will only have time for the royal address and to approve government spending to mitigate the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Question time has been scrapped nor will MPs’ motions be entertained.

MKINI