KUALA LUMPUR – Amid talk of the prime minister resigning and a possible change of government, the public health sector will continue its efforts to keep the Covid-19 pandemic in check.
Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the nation’s medical services will not be disrupted in the event there is a change of government.
Currently, he said, decisions are made by the National Security Council, while the Health Ministry advises from a health perspective.
“We will continue to run the health services like we did for two weeks during the transition period last year,” he told The Vibes in a brief WhatsApp conversation.
Dr Noor Hisham was referring to the aftermath of the Sheraton Move in February last year that resulted in the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government led by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Dr Mahathir was briefly made interim prime minister after his resignation, before Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was appointed to the top post.
With the current political turmoil, Muhyiddin has suggested that the administration cannot afford another shake-up as this will disrupt the nation’s vaccination drive and coronavirus fight.
Today, however, after a high-level meeting at the Perikatan Nasional headquarters at Publika here, sources said Muhyiddin will offer his resignation to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong tomorrow.
Yesterday, it was reported that a number of ministry officials were clearing their offices in anticipation of the prime minister’s resignation.
On Friday, Muhyiddin made a last-ditch attempt to secure support from the opposition by promising a number of reforms on the condition that he survives a confidence vote in Parliament.
The reforms include equal allocation for all MPs, more consultation with lawmakers on supply bills, and the implementation of Undi18.
Shortly after the announcement, a slew of political parties rejected the embattled leader’s purported olive branch, with some calling the move “daylight bribery”. – The Vibes, August 15, 2021
