Najib's loyalist pushes for interim PM despite Muhyiddin's emergency powers

 

Former Umno supreme council member Lokman Noor Adam is pushing for Muhyiddin Yassin to be replaced despite the prime minister's widely expanded powers after a proclamation of emergency.

Lokman, a staunch supporter of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, said Muhyiddin should not lead the emergency government as he did not have majority support in the Dewan Rakyat.

"I propose, to preserve Tuanku's (Yang di-Pertuan Agong) good name, it will be more appropriate if Tuanku chooses an interim prime minister to lead during the emergency so as not to cause negative perceptions that the emergency was declared to save Muhyiddin who had lost his majority in Parliament," he said in a statement on Facebook.

Lokman said Umno's Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Machang MP Jalzan Yaacob's decision to renounce Muhyiddin meant he had lost the legitimacy to remain as prime minister.

Without the two Umno MPs, Muhyiddin commands the support of 110 MPs out of 220 MPs. Two more seats are vacant.

Istana Negara today confirmed the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had consented to a request by Muhyiddin's government for a state of national emergency.

The emergency allows the suspension of Parliament and elections, but the ruler made it a point to set an expiry, which will be in August.

Muhyiddin said the emergency was necessary as the government needed certain powers to better cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.

He also stressed that he will maintain a civilian government and that it was not a military coup.

Muhyiddin, in a televised address after the proclamation of emergency, also acknowledged pressure by certain quarters for him to call an election during the pandemic.

Muhyiddin said he had an obligation to protect the people and cannot do that but assured there will be elections after the pandemic is under control.

Umno, particularly the faction led by Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, had been pressuring Muhyiddin to call for snap polls.

The faction is unhappy that Muhyiddin is not making enough concessions, including the ongoing graft charges against several of their leaders.

Muhyiddin had said the court process will continue during the emergency. - Mkini