Let us do our job, stop politicking, Zuraida tells opposition

KUALA LUMPUR – The opposition should stop jostling for power and allow the government to focus on fighting the pandemic and helping the economy recover, Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said in an attack on her political rivals. 

The housing and local government minister noted the demands being made for the government to hold a special Parliament sitting ahead of the September 7 reconvening, amid claims that Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has lost majority support. 

However, she noted that Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had previously issued a directive for Parliament to be under quarantine. 

She also expressed bemusement over the push for an early sitting, considering the date fixed and announced by the government is not too far away. 

Zuraida said the public are becoming fed up with the opposition’s continuous politicking and endless noise-making about having the numbers. 

“We urge everyone to let the government carry on with their mandated job to serve the rakyat, fight the pandemic, and help the economy recover,” she said in a statement today. 

“We welcome constructive ideas and suggestions, not endless disruptive booing and partisan attacks that do not help the rakyat. 

“We are facing a dangerous invisible enemy. As Malaysians, we should be united to fight the real enemy and not be constantly jostling for power and positions. Help us help the rakyat.” 

Zuraida’s statement comes in light of calls from the opposition as well as some from Umno for Muhyiddin to reconvene Parliament earlier than September to put his legitimacy to the test. 

The prime minister had said last week that he will allow a vote of confidence to determine his majority when the lower house sits again next month.

This is after more than a dozen Umno MPs withdrew their support, effectively causing Muhyiddin to lose the backing of the Dewan Rakyat. 

As speculations begin to surface over who is now likely to command the majority support of Parliament, Zuraida pointed out that to date no other clear alternative candidate has been announced by the opposition block. 

“They keep insisting that the prime minister has purportedly lost his majority, but yet no one from the opposition can agree to a single candidate. That reflects the infighting, disunity, and bickering of the opposition bloc,” she said. – The Vibes, August 11, 2021