He called on Muhyiddin to resign and permit an interim leader to take over until the pandemic subsides and a general election might be held.
Malaysia’s attorney general said on Thursday that Muhyiddin and his Cabinet would proceed to exercise executive power because there have been no “clear facts” indicating the prime minister had lost his majority.
“The government currently has no clear facts that could show that the prime minister no longer enjoys the trust of the majority of members of parliament,” Attorney General Idrus Harun said in an announcement.
Earlier on Wednesday, the prime minister’s office appointed Defense Minister Ismail Sabri as deputy prime minister.
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Muhyiddin Yassin appointed as Malaysia’s recent prime minister raises fears of return to ‘Umno politics’
Muhyiddin Yassin appointed as Malaysia’s recent prime minister raises fears of return to ‘Umno politics’
Muhyiddin’s office said Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein would now take over Ismael’s position as one in every of 4 senior ministers while retaining his diplomatic portfolio. It said it hoped the appointments would unite the ruling parties and strengthen the federal government.
Analysts say Muhyiddin split Umno by appointing second-tier leaders to his cabinet, and is now strengthening it with the appointments of Ismail and Hishammuddin. Both of those two Umno politicians are within the camp against Umno leader Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“This could buy Muhyiddin a while. He is using the tactics of conquest and division, so let’s hope there shall be no consensus at today’s Umno Supreme Council meeting to withdraw from the ruling coalition,” said Oh Ei Sun, a senior research fellow on the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.
Umno’s top decision-making body earlier this yr said the party wouldn’t work with Muhyiddin’s alliance in the following general election. Its bid to hunt an early election was thwarted by the deepening coronavirus crisis, with the country plunged into its second nationwide lockdown since June 1.
Muhyiddin agreed to resume parliament on July 26, before the tip of an Aug. 1 state of emergency over the coronavirus that has suspended parliament since January. Critics say the state of emergency is a ruse to assist him stay in power because support for his leadership can’t be tested while parliament is suspended.
Oh said the brand new Cabinet appointments could help Muhyiddin avert danger for now, but noted that grassroots movements and Umno divisional leaders were adamant about withdrawing.
“As long as Bersatu is in power, Umno will not be fine,” he said.
Additional information Reuters
