KUALA LUMPUR – Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has questioned the veracity of a statement purportedly by “MPs of Barisan Nasional” expressing their joint support for the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.
The statement has already been widely reported this evening in mainstream media, including TV news channels.
“Eh.. I am also a BN parliamentarian. Since when have I agreed to go against the decision of the Supreme Council last night?,” said Najib in reference to the Umno Supreme Council announcement terminating the party’s alliance with the ruling PN.
“Who has the full list of names that the statement is ascribed to. Who is this party?”
Najib, who is former Umno president and current BN Backbenchers’ Club chairman, said on his Facebook profile this evening that the letter of authorisation for every current BN MP, was signed by him.
“That is why I would certainly know the names of all BN MPs. Please give the list of names,” he said, referring to the purported signatories behind the statement by the “MPs of Barisan Nasional”.
In the statement, the supposed BN parliamentarians agreed to maintain their support for the PN government.
The statement said that the coalition’s MPs will pledge to support Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister should any motion of no-confidence arise in the upcoming special parliamentary session between July 26 and August 2.
Muhyiddin is chairman of PN and president of Bersatu.
They said the stance was based on the decision by the Umno Supreme Council which gave them the “freedom” to either support Muhyiddin or not in the event that such a motion is tabled.
“The priority of the parliamentarians during this time is to ensure that the National Recovery Plan’s agenda can be realised with the trust given by the people to return to normality, as before the Covid-19 pandemic,” the statement read.
“In a situation where the country is facing a health and economic crisis, the livelihoods of the people are more important than the stratagems of political parties.”
It said that in relation to this, BN parliamentarians would support Muhyiddin as prime minister to continue the agenda of upholding the interest of the rakyat.
Earlier this evening, BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan announced that the Supreme Council decided that Umno MPs can use their own discretion (“budi-bicara”) while voting during the upcoming session of the Dewan Rakyat.
The message was conveyed despite Umno announcing its decision to terminate ties with the ruling PN, following its supreme council meeting last night. – The Vibes, July 8, 2021
