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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Tuesday (October 13) that he will “leave it to the best judgment of the king,” after opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim claimed he has a parliamentary majority to form a new government.
In his first group interview since taking office as prime minister in March this year, Muhyiddin said his focus was on managing the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy.
“I don’t want to comment on what Anwar did at the palace,” he said.
“As for me, I leave it to the best judgment of the Agong. I think Agong is the most knowledgeable and qualified person. He has his own way of doing things as required by the constitution.”
He added: “Whatever decision you make, you are always following what the constitution states.”
Muhyiddin was speaking to the press via video conference as he is currently in a 14-day home quarantine after a minister who attended a meeting he presided over tested positive for COVID-19.
He added that when Mr. Anwar was meeting with the king, he was participating in a video conference with all members of the National Security Council (MKN) on the COVID-19 issue.
READ: King to study relevant documents and consult party leaders, says Anwar after hearing to demonstrate parliamentary majority
Muhyiddin, chairman of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), had withdrawn the party from the PH coalition in late February to form the Perikatan Nasional government with lawmakers from Barisan Nasional and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia.
This political fight at the federal level, which was suspended for six months as the country battled the pandemic, returned to the forefront with Anwar claiming on September 23 that he had the majority of support from Malaysian MPs.
Earlier at 2 pm on Tuesday, Anwar had announced that he had been in audience with King Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to present evidence of his support as prime minister.
More leaders from other political parties are expected to meet with the king in the coming days, he said.
The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Muhyiddin Yassin, and the leader of the opposition, Anwar Ibrahim. (Photos: Bernama, Reuters / Lim Huey Teng)
However, the palace said Anwar simply mentioned the number of MPs who said they supported him, but did not provide a list of names.
Criticizing Anwar, Bersatu’s chief information officer, Wan Saiful Wan Jan, said in a statement Tuesday that the opposition leader lied about having a majority.
He suggested to Mr. Anwar that he withdraw from politics if this is just a “desperate strategy” of his to threaten the stability of the government. “It is obvious today that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin still has the support to continue leading the Perikatan Nasional government,” he said.
CMCO IN SELANGOR, KL AND PUTRAJAYA NECESSARY
On COVID-19, Muhyiddin defended the federal government’s decision to impose a conditional motion control order (CMCO) in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, which was announced on Monday.
it is a preventative and proactive step necessary to reduce the spread of the virus, he said.
Cases have been recorded in all Selangor districts and there was an upward trend, he said.
“So I think it is a correct move made by MKN (yesterday), which I preside, to declare the entire state of Selangor under CMCO to ensure, based on the preventive and proactive actions that MKN has taken, we can reduce COVID-pandemic 19 in the state of Selangor, ”he said.
Muhyiddin said that despite reducing the movement of people by, for example, closing schools, economic activities would not be affected.
“This is not just about industries, but about all economic activities,” Muhyiddin said, adding that most companies could continue to operate.
“We understand that there must be a proper balance between life and livelihood,” the prime minister said.
Until September, the pandemic appeared to be under control in Malaysia between June and August when the country gradually reopened under the control order of the recovery movement.
The highest number of new daily cases registered was registered on October 6, with 691 cases. As of Tuesday, Malaysia had 5,345 active cases out of 16,880 recorded cases and 163 deaths.
The sharp increase was partly due to increased travel to and from Sabah for the recently concluded state elections late last month.
