PUTRAJAYA – The Umno General Assembly 2020 at the weekend did not stipulate that ministers from the party are to resign immediately from the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government cabinet, said Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican.
Reezal Merican, who is also an Umno Supreme Council member, said that ministers from Umno have tasks to shoulder and priorities to focus on in the struggle for the people, including the national Covid-19 immunisation programme as well as health and youth issues.
“If we ignore this responsibility, the party (Umno) will get a bad name; they will say Umno ministers are shirking their responsibilities,” he said after attending the Malaysia Vaccine Support Volunteers (MYVAC) duty assignment here today.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had earlier today said all ministers from Umno are to remain in the PN government after an agreement was reached in his meeting with them on Monday, pertaining to their positions in the cabinet.
On Sunday, the Umno general assembly had approved a motion to cease cooperation with Bersatu in the 15th general election (GE15), and agreed that the existing cooperation with the PN government would only continue until the dissolution of Parliament.
Meanwhile, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, at a separate event, said that he would continue to focus on performing his duties and responsibilities in the government as long as Umno does not make any decision pertaining to its members holding positions in the cabinet.
“Our stance is tied to the party’s (Umno) decision; as long as the party does not make any decision, we will continue to focus on our work in the government,” he said here after the launch of the corporate collaboration for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, of which Khairy is the coordinating minister. – Bernama, March 31, 2021
