PM’s promise is just talk if there’s no action, says analyst

 

Analysts say the nation will have to wait and see if Muhyiddin Yassin puts a confidence motion to vote. (Parliament pic)

PETALING JAYA: A political analyst sees Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s latest national address as “worthless” unless he acts on his words.

“It’s pure talk right now,” said Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.

Oh also claimed Muhyiddin was “notorious” for using various tactics to delay, cancel and postpone parliamentary sittings.

Even if Parliament is allowed to convene, motions of confidences are often set for the end of the day’s agenda, he noted.

Oh Ei Sun.

“A government which wilfully misled Parliament with impunity has scarcely any political credibility left, much less the increasingly worthless words of a prime minister who repeatedly avoided motions of confidence,” he said.

Muhyiddin has announced that he will not be resigning as the prime minister despite the pressure by Umno and other opposition parties for him to do so.

He insisted that he still enjoys sufficient support in the Dewan Rakyat, adding that the government would be tabling a motion of confidence in September to test his majority.

Academic Azmi Hassan said Muhyiddin had “no choice” but to test his government in Parliament, after eight Umno MPs had written to the speaker to notify him that they had withdrawn support for the prime minister.

Azmi Hassan.

Given that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong was satisfied with Muhyiddin’s clarification, Azmi said it was best to wait until September and let the MPs decide on the future of the country.

“Of course, within one month in Malaysian politics, anything can happen since our parliamentarians can change their position within minutes,” he told FMT.

In the meantime, he said, it was important for the government to bring its focus back to battling the pandemic, especially the issue of vaccine rollout. - FMT