KOTA KINABALU – Hours after confronting an upbeat opposition move to supplant his government, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin Muhyiddin landed in Sabah last night to immediately cajole “old friend” Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal to stand by him.
He said while Shafie, the state’s caretaker chief minister and Parti Warisan Sabah president, may have done his best in managing the state, it would be better if the state is “in line” with the federal government.
“We want to help the state to develop ever since Sabah became part of the federation (Malaysia),” said Muhyiddin, who leads the ruling Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.
“We have been working closely to find ways and means to develop the state. Sabah is a state with natural resources that we can develop together.”
He said although the Warisan-led state government may deem that Sabah does not need the federal government and can progress by themselves, it needs to work together with Putrajaya.
“We have a system called a federation where the states and federal government work together so that the states can develop faster,” he said in his speech at an MCA meet-and-greet event at Luyang here.
“For me, it is important that we work together, and if there is a way the federal government can assist we will help. But it will be better to assist a state government that is in line with the federal government,” he said.
Sabah will hold a state election on Saturday with Warisan heavily tipped to return to power.
Muhyiddin reiterated that he still occupies the prime minister’s seat as long as opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim cannot prove his claim to have majority support of MPs to take over.
“Many are also asking whether I am still the prime minister... I am still the prime minister,” he said.
The Bersatu president said his presence at the MCA event was to explain important things PN is trying to implement within seven months.
Earlier yesterday, Anwar had announced at a press conference that he has secured the numbers to form a government, pending an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
Muhyiddin said he respected Anwar’s claims as a political leader but does not want to pursue the matter further.
“I don’t want to question his statement as I respect any political views from any political leader in Malaysia,” he said.
”But we must understand that Malaysia practises a parliamentary democracy and in this system we also uphold the Malaysian constitution as the basis for whatever we wish to carry out.
“So, whatever statement issued by whoever will only be carried out based on the provisions contained in the national constitution and I don’t want to touch on that as it is under the Agong’s discretion.”
Muhyiddin added that his journey since assuming the prime minister’s post in March has been challenging, especially in the face of the Covid-19 threat.
He said the World Health Organisation has recognised Malaysia’s actions in handling the pandemic as among the best in the world. – The Vibes, September 24, 2020
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