Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal said the confidence vote was timely as Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s legitimacy as the prime minister has been disputed. — Picture by Ben Tan
JOHOR BARU, Aug 4 — Johor Perikatan Nasional (PN) today commended Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for his decision to seek a confidence vote in Dewan Rakyat this September to test his support.
Its secretary Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal said the confidence vote was timely as Muhyiddin’s legitimacy as the prime minister has been disputed.
“Tan Sri (Muhyiddin) has informed the Yang di-Pertuan Agong that he still possessed majority support in Parliament. In fact, all the proposals submitted by him have received His Majesty’s attention and approval.
“Therefore, the PN government must continue to exercise the responsibilities entrusted to them for people and the nation, especially in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Dr Sahruddin in a statement issued here today.
Earlier, Muhyiddin was criticised for claiming he still had majority support despite several Umno lawmakers publicly rejecting him yesterday.
Muhyiddin also announced that a confidence vote will be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat when it convenes in September, after insisting that he possessed statutory declarations from MPs expressing support for him to remain as the prime minister.
Many in the Opposition as well as in Umno today demanded that Muhyiddin convene a special parliamentary sitting to table a confidence vote immediately instead of September as the latter proposed.
Dr Sahruddin, who was the previous Johor mentri besar, said the government must continue to function normally and questions about Muhyiddin as the prime minister should be stopped until the next meeting in Dewan Rakyat.
“All MPs are called upon to put aside their political interests and focus fully on the success of the National Recovery Plan (NRP).
“Focus should be given to efforts in increasing the vaccination rate through the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme as well as to ramp-up efforts to help the people,” he said.
Dr Sahruddin pointed out that Johor PN supports and will preserve the constitutional monarchy system and at the same time uphold the principles of Rukun Negara which has become the basis of unity and peace in the country.
“Johor PN also strongly supports Muhyiddin’s leadership as the prime minister in continuing to lead this government,” he added.
Yesterday, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi claimed that enough of his party’s federal lawmakers have signed a declaration to withdraw their support for Muhyiddin and the PN government, adding that the declarations were presented during an audience with the Agong.
He accused Muhyiddin and his government of defying and belittling the Agong by failing to abide by his decree that the Emergency Ordinances be tabled for debate in both Houses of Parliament.
Since then, leaders of Opposition parties have called for another special sitting of Parliament to be held no later than August 9 to debate and vote on Muhyiddin’s motion of confidence.
They said that the special sitting should be held based on Standing Order 11(3), adding that it would be unfair for the government to delay until September the vote on the motion of confidence for Muhyiddin, whose current standing as prime minister is in doubt.