KUALA LUMPUR – PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has slammed Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s appointment as National Recovery Council chairman with minister status, saying it is “very disappointing”.
The Kulim-Bandar Baharu MP in a statement today said the appointment adds a layer of “undue bureaucracy” as former prime minister Muhyiddin still has to present the council’s recommendations to the cabinet first.
“Does (Prime Minister Datuk Seri) Ismail Sabri (Yaakob) not have confidence in his ministers? To what extent is Muhyiddin willing to give recommendations to Ismail Sabri to revoke or improve any pandemic management policies enacted during Muhyiddin’s tenure as prime minister that were not effective in dealing with the pandemic?
“Wouldn’t there be a tendency for him to try and defend his legacy rather than evaluate it objectively? So, why should Muhyiddin be given a place in the government if not for Ismail Sabri’s political survival? Until when do the people and country need to be the victims of political interests?”
When Muhyiddin helmed Malaysia as prime minister, he failed to manage the country’s Covid-19 response, said Saifuddin Nasution.
He failed to manage in terms of health, economy and education. Muhyiddin is responsible for the people’s suffering.
“He was also responsible for the proclamation of emergency, apparently with the aim of curbing Covid-19, but the outbreak became more severe towards the end of the emergency.
“The revocation of the emergency was also done without being debated in Parliament, until Istana Negara had to reprimand Muhyiddin’s government for confusing the House – and this led to his downfall.”
Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali announced Muhyiddin’s new role earlier today.
In a statement, he said the government is confident in the Pagoh MP’s ability to lead national recovery strategies to achieve the best impact on the economy and revive the people’s lives, which have been severely affected by the pandemic. – The Vibes, September 4, 2021