Muhyiddin needs 'gentleman's' agreement with Anwar for Budget 2021 - analyst

 

A political analyst believes that what is needed by the embattled Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin now is a 'gentleman's' agreement with all party leaders across the divide, especially those who are allied with PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

This is so that he can get the majority support needed to pass the government's Budget 2021 that is going to be tabled next month.

According to Rusdi Omar of Universiti Utara Malaysia, the premier and his team in Bersatu need to focus on carrying out their government duties without getting involved in too much politicking which can worsen the country's situation.

"Muhyiddin has to look forward. His government cannot think about politics too much. When they do, that's where the idea of proposing for emergency proclamation comes from.

"At this juncture, the best move is to continue with what he has in hand - which is to solve the Covid-19 problem, and to do this he needs a gentleman's cooperation with the opposition," Rusdi told Malaysiakini today.

Commenting on Muhyiddin's reaction after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong turned down his proposal to declare a state of emergency, Rusdi said that it might be a big slap for the Pagoh MP. However, Rusdi believes that Muhyiddin would not simply step down.

"Actually, I am confident that Parliament will pass the budget to be tabled because it will have an impact on the country and the rakyat. It involves every section of the community.

"Whether they like it or not, MPs have to support the budget. Because the King has already decreed it. Now, it is left to see how Muhyiddin can persuade the opposition and obtain their support," he said.

The Dewan Rakyat is scheduled to convene starting this Nov 2. The Budget 2021 will be tabled this Nov 6, where the voting process scheduled for Nov 17.

'Make use of the opportunity'

Ilham Centre research fellow, Dr Hamidin Hamid also shares a similar view, that the best option for Muhyiddin would be to focus on his duty to the country.

However, according to him, Muhyiddin would be using Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah's decree to show that he has the monarch's trust in governing the country.

"Muhyiddin will be using this opportunity to gain support to pass the budget, and thus proves that he still has the majority (in Parliament).

"He would be using the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's decree which stated about the King's trust on the government to handle Covid-19, as a platform for him to make new moves to save Perikatan Nasional government," he said.

Hamidin said that it would, however, be hard for Muhyiddin to remove any of his cabinet members over the idea of emergency proclamation because they are now seen as "his backbone".

Prior to this, Umno supreme council member Puad Zarkashi claimed that a meeting held at Muhyiddin's residence in Bukit Damansara turned emotional when Bersatu leaders allegedly started blaming ministers Azmin Ali And Hamzah Zainuddin over the proposal.

PM's resignation will lead to country without government

Meanwhile, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia's Azmi Hassan said that Muhyiddin, as a leader, cannot point fingers to anyone but has to take responsibility for each and every decision.

"I expect that Muhyiddin and his cabinet would continue to govern. I think the situation would be more stable if the groups that are pressuring him to resign understands the King's decree that there must be less political manoeuvring and more focus on helping the government to address the pandemic.

"The Yang di-Pertuan Agong has given his mandate to Muhyiddin to continue the battle against this pandemic using existing laws.

"This alone is the manifestation of the King's confidence in Muhyiddin's ability," he said.

For the record, before this, there were calls for various parties including the opposition and Umno urging Muhyiddin to resign, claiming that he has lost the support of the majority of MPs.

However, according to Azmi, such action would not bring a solution to the problem because it would bring the country back to what it went through in Feb when the then premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad resigned. It saw the country having to go through a period without a government. - Mkini