KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 — Umno supreme council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi has today implored Barisan Nasional (BN) lawmakers to withdraw their support for Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.
He claimed the latter had not kept its end of the bargain in exchange for conditional support to pass Budget 2021.
Citing the unresolved issue concerning both the loan moratorium extension and i-Sinar withdrawals from the Employee Provident Funds (EPF), Mohd Puad said Malaysians were still unsatisfied with the passing of Budget 2021 with the exception of Muhyiddin.
Adding that federal lawmakers will be held accountable as they were the only ones allowed to vote, Mohd Puad further said the price of an MP was worth a lot and far more if they displayed “political courage”.
“Therefore, what is the next step that can be done? Withdraw support from Muhyiddin as PM. Seems like kamikaze. But what is wrong with that? It's for the people.
“Maybe not all BNBBC MPs are willing. God willing, five could pull their support. Even three is OK. Use your conscience,” he said in a statement on Facebook.
Justifying the move, he cited Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak as previously saying that BN would still have other means to take action should the situation remained unchanged and the PN government continues to sidestep the matter for a reasonable period of time.
“Najib had said he will continue to pressure the PN government to fulfill its promise until both issues are resolved completely,” Mohd Puad said.
On December 15, Najib previously said BN supported PN’s Budget 2021 in its third reading so the government won’t collapse and the government will not have time to rectify it if the Budget fails.
BN is not a component member of the PN coalition, which comprises largely of Bersatu and PAS, but has an informal agreement to cooperate. Some BN lawmakers are part of the Muhyiddin Cabinet because of this arrangement.
