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KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Islam Se-Malaysia on Thursday (October 15) brought together its partners in the ruling Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition to continue supporting Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
This came after the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) said it could withdraw its support for the PN.
PAS Secretary General Takiyuddin Hassan said in a statement Thursday that the parties that make up the NP government must act collectively and responsibly for the good of the people.
“The PAS would like first of all to convey our gratitude to the king for having been able to resolve any conflict, including the political one, to the point of bringing calm, harmony and stability to the country.
“We are sure that the king has acted in accordance with his prerogative and discretion as provided by the Federal Constitution and the laws on the concept of constitutional monarchy,” he said.
He was referring to the appointment by the King of Muhyiddin to take over as Prime Minister in March, following the sudden resignation of Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
Takiyuddin, who is also a minister in the prime minister’s department, said that those who have been entrusted with forming the government under Muhyiddin’s leadership should do so effectively.
“The PAS urges the parties entrusted with the formation of Her Majesty’s Government, now led by Mr. Muhyiddin as Prime Minister, to give them all support without hindrance for this government to function well and effectively.
“The cabinet made up of Barisan Nasional, Perikatan Nasional, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, PAS and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah must act collectively and responsibly to prioritize and focus on the well-being of the people, especially in this challenging period where all parties are working hard to contain the spread of COVID-19, as well as restore the economy of the most affected country, “he said.
Minister of the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Takiyuddin Hassan. (File photo: Bernama)
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On Tuesday, the UMNO announced after its political bureau meeting that it is considering withdrawing its support for the NP government.
The party also said it will establish new terms in writing to continue its political cooperation with the ruling coalition.
A statement by the party’s general secretary, Ahmad Maslan, said: “All the presidents of the liaison body of the state UMNO and members of the Supreme Council, including those in quarantine, agree with the decision.”
Ahmad Maslan said the meeting also suggested to the Muafakat Nasional (MN) steering committee that MN immediately register as a legitimate political coalition.
MN is a coalition formed by former political enemies PAS and UMNO in September 2019.
When asked if UMNO would immediately withdraw from PN if the coalition refuses to accept the new terms, Ahmad Maslan said that further discussions would take place.
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The opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, has affirmed that he has the support of more than 120 members of Parliament, adding that the king will ask the party leaders to contribute their opinions and confirm the documents presented by the president of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
However, Istana Negara said Tuesday that Anwar did not present a list of the names of his backers during a royal hearing.
Police said Thursday that Anwar had been summoned to assist in investigations of a viral list of federal lawmakers who allegedly backed his bid to become prime minister.
