Seeking emergency, Muhyiddin has already ‘admitted defeat’, Nazri says

KUALA LUMPUR – Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s appeal for an emergency, which was consented to by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong earlier today, proves that the prime minister has “admitted defeat” in his hold on the government, said Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

The Padang Rengas MP, announcing his withdrawal of support for Muhyiddin, said the leader has no choice but to seek an emergency proclamation to prevent snap elections.

Nazri’s decision leaves Muhyiddin with the backing of just 109 of 220 MPs.

“If he loses majority support in the Dewan Rakyat, a general election must be held. We all know that. So, when he applied for an emergency declaration, it is basically his admission of defeat. 

“For me, it is only logical for him to do that, in order to remain in power,” the Umno man told a press conference at the party’s headquarters here this afternoon. 

Nazri is the second Umno lawmaker to withdraw support for Muhyiddin, after Machang MP Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub made a similar announcement on Saturday.

Gua Musang lawmaker Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah had said he would not support the prime minister in Parliament, and abstained from the Budget 2021 vote last month. 

Two federal seats are left vacant following the deaths of Parti Warisan Sabah’s Batu Sapi MP Datuk Liew Vui Keong and Umno’s Gerik MP Datuk Hasbullah Osman last year.

Nazri said Muhyiddin’s decision to seek an emergency yesterday, despite announcing the movement control order (MCO) for six states the same day, proves that the move was done after he was told that more Umno MPs will withdraw their support.  

It is understood that he met the Agong twice yesterday, first in the morning to seek an MCO, and then in the evening to inform the king of the cabinet’s decision on an emergency proclamation.

This raises questions on whether Muhyiddin had been warned only later yesterday, after his first audience with His Majesty, that he might lose parliamentary support. 

Nazri also likened today’s declaration to a “political emergency” instead of one related to health, saying the decision was made to safeguard the prime minister’s position. 

“If it was done in the interest of the people’s health, then an MCO would have sufficed. So, it can be presumed that this is actually a political emergency.”

He said it also proves that the government has failed to adequately address the Covid-19 situation in Malaysia. – The Vibes, January 12, 2021