KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin does not appear to care that his detractors are portraying him as "simple”, saying that his main concerns are to address rising living costs in Malaysia.

The former prime minister told The Star in an interview published today that he is not bothered by the name-calling after his recent admission to rearing chickens for their eggs.

"It’s no big deal to me when people called me simple for rearing chickens in my backyard.

"My message has been clear; people are suffering from the increasing costs,” the 76-year-old was quoted as saying.

It was reported on July 10 that Muhyiddin had started to rear chickens on his farm to overcome the shortage of eggs as the country grapples with the high cost of living.

He said that his recent foray into rearing chickens for eggs could yield about 40 eggs a day.

The Pagoh MP added that his recent foray into poultry farming is just an example of something that he is capable of doing, but not everyone can do it.

"The government can call me simple — it does not matter — as my concern is the rising cost of living which has affected everyone,” Muhyiddin told the newspaper, adding that the current government had failed to deal with the problems linked to the livelihood of the people.

In the interview, Muhyiddin also told The Star that he was jeeringly labelled as the "Father of Lockdowns” for implementing a series of movement restrictions at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia in 2020.

He claimed that the labels were an attempt meant to kill off his political career to make sure PN would fall and Bersatu, the component party he leads, would lose in the August 12 six state elections.

"It is shortsightedness on their part,” he was quoted as saying, referring to his detractors.

The Bersatu president claimed that the attacks had backfired on the "unity government” leaders as they had strengthened voter support for PN instead.

Muhyiddin accused the Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim-led government of riding on his accomplishments during his tenure as prime minister, when he "saved lives and livelihoods” during the pandemic.

He criticised the government’s Madani economy and narrative for failing to look into the people’s difficulties.

"They (the people) want a plan of action and a solution to their problems,” he was quoted as saying.

Having been prime minister from March 2020 to August 2021, Muhyiddin said he knew what a head of the government should do.

He cited the country’s economic recovery process as a real and pressing issue that the government should look into and claimed it has not as there was little fanfare from the small and medium industry players.

Muhyiddin, who was charged with multiple counts of corruption and laundering money exceeding RM5 million in March, described them as baseless acts of desperation as he has served in the government for 50 years.

"I have done practically nothing wrong. I have not abused my positions as minister of various ministries, deputy prime minister or as a prime minister,” he was quoted as saying.

Muhyiddin, who asserted that his critics viewed him as a threat, alleged that PN has also been made a target of attacks since the unity government came into power late last year.

He pointed out that PN is seen as a threat due to the fact that it is the biggest Opposition bloc in history, with 73 MPs in the Dewan Rakyat.

"We have the support of the majority of the Malay voters, which irks them, especially Umno,” he was reported as saying.