Umno says adios to Perikatan, Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR – After more than four hours locked in an emergency meeting, the Umno Supreme Council and president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi have pulled the party out of Perikatan Nasional and its support for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, saying there will be no compromise on the matter.

The party called on Muhyiddin to step down honourably and make way for a new prime minister, with the focus being on putting Malaysia back on track amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Zahid said the new prime minister must call a general election after the country attains herd immunity, so as to have a stable government in place.

“The new prime minister should focus on the welfare of the people throughout the pandemic, address Covid-19 using an inclusive approach, and ensure the immunisation process is expedited.

“Upon attaining herd immunity, the new prime minister must immediately advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in order to return the mandate to the people, (and for) the 15th general election to be held.”

This is important to allow the country to have a truly stable government, and to secure the mandate of the rakyat in line with the Agong’s decree, he said.

He reiterated the party’s stance to not support opposition chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister and an administration led by DAP-Pakatan Harapan.

He also ran a victory lap, crediting the convening of Parliament at end-July to the 14-day ultimatum issued by Umno’s political bureau to Muhyiddin. 

At the end of his 12.50am broadcast, Zahid did not mention if newly minted Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Senior Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein are to reject their promotions, or if Umno MPs have to relinquish their posts in government agencies and government-linked companies.

Zahid listed seven failures of the PN government that led to Umno parting ways with the ruling coalition.

Firstly, he said, the government has failed to effectively tackle the pandemic, pointing to its inconsistent policies and “half-baked” movement controls that have seen people being cooped up in their homes for months on end.

He said the government abused the emergency declaration for political purposes, affecting Malaysians and the nation’s economy.

Putrajaya has failed to uphold parliamentary democracy, instead eroding the mechanism of checks and balances meant to see to it that the people’s voice is heard, he said, citing initiatives related to the coronavirus crisis, including vaccinations and allocations.

He said the government has fallen short in terms of managing assistance to and the demands of all levels of society, including a loan moratorium without accrued interest, as well as financial aid like i-Citra.

The fifth failure involves the people’s confidence and trust, with Zahid saying Malaysia recorded 1,099 suicides from March last year to May, and citing the #benderaputih movement as a manifestation of the rakyat’s disappointment in the government.

He said PN’s inability to ensure political and economic stability has impacted investor confidence.

Finally, he said the government trivialised the king and Malay rulers’ decrees, resulting in the royals’ repeated statements that a Parliament sitting must take place.

“Umno will not compromise with the government’s insolence towards the royal institution.” – The Vibes, July 8, 2021