Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob should direct his advice not to engage in politicking to his own ruling coalition, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said.
Saifuddin (above) said the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government had unfettered powers to fight the Covid-19 pandemic since a state of emergency was imposed in January.
However, some actions taken by the PN government did not appear to have anything to do with Covid-19, he added.
"The deputy prime minister gave the advice of not to play politics and focus on fighting Covid-19. But Umno withdrawing its support (for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin) had nothing to do with fighting Covid-19.
"The prime minister's appointment of Ismail Sabri as the deputy prime minister also had nothing to do with Covid-19, nor did it benefit the people. It was only a measure by the prime minister to save himself and not to save the people.
"My advice to the deputy prime minister is for him to direct his advice to the prime minister and his colleagues in PN," Saifuddin said in a statement.
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on July 8 announced that his party was withdrawing support for Muhyiddin, who only has a four-seat majority in Parliament.
Umno has 38 MPs but a substantial number are against ditching Muhyiddin, who is the Bersatu president.
Hours before Umno's announcement of its withdrawal of support for Muhyiddin, the prime minister promoted Ismail Sabri, who is an Umno vice-president, from senior minister to deputy prime minister.
Ismail Sabri had been organising Umno MPs to rebel against Zahid's decision, which was made following the Umno supreme council meeting.
Saifuddin said the PN government had more than half a year to combat Covid-19 with wide powers, and with Parliament suspended.
"There were no checks and balances. During this time, the government could make any laws and spend without going through Parliament.
"The cabinet and National Security Council could do anything. The people had to accept," he said.
Despite this, the Kulim-Bandar Baharu MP noted that Covid-19 cases and deaths had spiralled.
"The people lost their jobs, home-based learning for school children is in disarray and suicide rates are increasing," he added.
Yesterday, Ismail Sabri urged all parties not to play politics and to focus on the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Let us not play politics in the current situation because the people are in dire need of help, not only from the government but also from political parties, so we need to help the people.
“Right now our focus must be to help people who are facing difficulties and at the same time strategies to combat the Covid-19 pandemic must also be supported by all,” Ismail Sabri had said. - Mkini
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