KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 — Party leaders within the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government have agreed to establish a presidential council to coordinate joint efforts, Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.
The decision came after a meeting of the leaders last night, he said when expressing his gladness at being able to create a platform through which they could ensure the country’s political stability and prosperity.
“We have agreed to establish a PN presidential council that will include the presidents of all parties within the PN government as a vital platform to strengthen inter-party cooperation,” he said
“Additionally, we have also agreed on other measures including the formation of a secretariat for the secretaries-general in the PN government, the drafting of an inter-party charter that will be discussed individually, and election preparations.”
Muhyiddin also said the presidential council would meet regularly starting next year to receive briefings about the state of the country’s economy, Covid-19 management, and preparations of the 12th Malaysia Plan.
Prior to Muhyiddin’s announcement, PN secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin had pitched the idea of a catch-all entity encompassing PN, Barisan Nasional (BN), and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
Although PN is the ruling coalition, its official membership only includes Bersatu, Islamist party PAS, and two Sabah parties at the moment.
BN, which had governed Malaysia for over six decades until 2018, and GPS, which was spun off by former Sarawak components the same year, are both committed to the PN government only in terms of confidence and supply.
Earlier this week, Muhyiddin passed his final parliamentary hurdle to retaining power after an anticipated move by the Opposition and disgruntled lawmakers in his coalition to block Budget 2021 did not materialise.
The formation of the PN presidential council would solidify cooperation among the participating parties heading into the 15th general election.
The general election need not be held before 2023 but Muhyiddin is believed to be planning for a snap poll to obtain a secure mandate to lead and legitimise his administration that came to power unelected.
While his majority in Parliament has never been formally established, Muhyiddin’s PN is believed to command a majority of 113 seats in the Dewan Rakyat or just one more than the absolute minimum for a simple majority.
