No pressing need for Muhyiddin to appoint acting PM, say experts

There is no pressing need for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to appoint an acting prime minister while he is under quarantine, said constitutional expert Prof Shad Saleem Faruqi.

"The constitution is silent on the posts of an acting prime minister or deputy prime minister and it is up to the prime minister himself whether to deputise one if there is a need.

"There are so many precedents when the PM was sick or abroad and there was no acting PM. In this era of cyber communication, a PM can perform most of his deliberative and decisional functions on-screen and by phone. What is the problem?" he asked.

Political scientist Prof Wong Chin Huat also questioned with there was a need to appoint one at this juncture.

"Quarantine doesn't mean he has lost the capacity to govern, unlike (UK Prime Minister) Boris Johnson was (when he was in ICU).

"Even a confirmed case may not necessary to lose the ability to function. So, the question may not arise," Wong said.

Muhyiddin, when appointing his Perikatan Nasional cabinet, took the unprecedented step of naming four senior ministers, but not a deputy.

In making the announcement he said that all the four senior ministers are equal in rank, although in his absence, cabinet meetings would be chaired by Azmin Ali, who is the international trade and industries minister.

Yesterday the Prime Minister’s Office announced that Muhyiddin had tested negative for Covid-19 after coming into contact at a post-cabinet meeting with an officer who has since tested positive.

The officer is being treated at a hospital, while Muhyiddin is under 14 days quarantine.

It has also been reported by Free Malaysia Today that top officials from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Attorney-General’s Chambers and the National Audit Department have been placed under quarantine as well.

In the past, acting prime ministers have been appointed such as when Abdul Razak Hussein took over in 1959 for three months when Tunku Abdul Rahman decided to focus on strengthening his Umno party.

Former deputy prime minister Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, long time MIC leader VT Sambanthan, MCA president Ling Liong Sik and former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim are among those who have been appointed as acting prime ministers on previous occasions.

Malaysiakini is attempting to contact the Prime Minister's Office for clarification on this matter. - Mkini