KUALA LUMPUR – Just over three weeks, the Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin-led Perikatan Nasional has unravelled, starting with an explosive Dewan Rakyat session on July 26.
Today, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong accepted Muhyiddin’s resignation along with his cabinet. For now, Muhyiddin remains as caretaker prime minister until a new one is sworn in.
Here’s a recap of the last three weeks.
July 26
Law Minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said in Parliament that six emergency ordinances drafted and enforced during the period of emergency rule were rendered void and null by the government on July 21 after a cabinet meeting.
This sparked an eruption from opposition MPs in the House, arguing that the Agong should have been the one who revoked the ordinances.
July 29
Istana Negara issued a statement saying the Agong has expressed disappointment that the federal government had revoked the emergency ordinances without his assent, and that it went against the federal constitution.
Parliament was postponed several times on the same day, with the speakers saying Covid-19 cases had been reported after opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim demanded that the revocation of the ordinances be presented in Parliament.
July 31
The final day of the special Dewan Rakyat sitting was postponed indefinitely, following an order issued by Muhyiddin.
Dewan Rakyat secretary Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin said in a statement that the decision to put off the meeting to the following Monday was due to a recent Covid-19 outbreak in Parliament.
August 1
The special Dewan Negara sitting scheduled from August 3 to 5 was postponed, the decision coming on the heels of the indefinite delay of the Dewan Rakyat session.
A circular signed by Senate Secretary Muhd Sujairi Abdullah said the new dates for the sitting would be announced later.
He said the postponement was in accordance with the recommendation by Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, as Parliament was considered a risky Covid-19 area following an assessment by the Health Ministry.
August 3
Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that the party had withdrawn its support for Perikatan Nasional (PN), saying that the government had lost its majority in the Dewan Rakyat.
August 4
Embattled Muhyiddin announced that he would call for a vote of confidence on September 6 after meeting the Agong.
August 11
Muhyiddin’s pre-cabinet audience with the Agong this morning saw Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah expressing his views to Muhyiddin over the latter’s support in Parliament.
This followed the opposition bloc sending letters to the palace in the previous three days to indicate that their respective parties did not support Muhyiddin or the PN government.
Short of asking for his resignation, as widely expected, the king instead gave Muhyiddin a reprieve to be certain of his support.
Muhyiddin was scheduled after that to meet PN party leaders to confirm their support.
August 12
Istana Negara reportedly asked the Dewan Rakyat speaker to disclose the number of MPs who support Muhyiddin.
According to Malaysiakini, the comptroller of the royal household had sent a letter on the matter to Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun that Monday.
August 13
Muhyiddin offered a raft of reforms to Malaysia’s opposition in a bid to stave off defeat in a confidence vote next month.
August 14
Amid talks of Muhyiddin’s resignation, cabinet members’ aides purportedly packed up their belongings at their respective offices in Putrajaya today.
It is understood that officers had begun clearing their belongings and vacating offices following an emergency meeting of ministers at Muhyiddin’s private residence in Bukit Damansara here this afternoon.
August 15
Bersatu leaders gathered at the PN headquarters in Publika, followed by a confirmation of Muhyiddin’s resignation. A source familiar with the matter said Muhyiddin informed attendees of this.
It was learnt that a number of Bersatu MPs were not keen to support anyone from Umno for the top job. This came after Muhyiddin earlier expressed his stand that those from Umno’s “court and kleptocrat” cluster should not be allowed to helm the government.
August 16
Muhyiddin arrived at Perdana Putra, Putrajaya just after 8am to meet top leaders of the civil service and the cabinet afterwards. He then made his way to Istana Negara by noon, presumably to tender his resignation. Shortly after he left the palace, Umno minister Khairy Jamaluddin and other cabinet members confirmed the ministers’ resignation.
Just before Muhyiddin’s televised address at 3pm, Istana Negara issued a statement acknowledging his resignation and his role as caretaker prime minister.
By 3pm, Muhyiddin announced his resignation in a national address. With the resignation, he became the nation’s shortest-serving prime minister, having only been in office for 17 months since March last year.
“I could have taken the easy route and sacrificed my principles to remain prime minister. But that is not my choice. I will not compromise with kleptocrats or interfere with the freedom of the judiciary just to stay in power,” he said. – The Vibes, August 16, 2021
