KUCHING, Aug 15 — State Democratic Action Party (DAP) chief Chong Chieng Jen said today that the entire Perikatan Nasional (PN) Cabinet has to resign in the event that Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin tenders his resignation tomorrow.
The Stampin MP did not offer comments on news reports that Muhyiddin will step down as the prime minister but gave a ‘Yes’ when asked if the Cabinet should resign following Muhyiddin’s resignation.
In a statement yesterday, Chong said: “The main reason underlying the call for his (Muhyiddin’s) resignation is his failure and that of his Cabinet’s failure to properly manage the Covid-19 pandemic.”
The Kota Sentosa assemblyman opined that people had given up any hope on the PN government saving the country and the people.
“That is why most Malaysians now want a new prime minister and a new Cabinet to run this country,” he said.
Chong asserted that Malaysia must focus on managing the pandemic to reduce the infection rate and fatalities as well as to revive the country’s economy.
“Top priority should be the lives of the people, the sufferings caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the hunger due to lack of income, and the businesses at the brink of closing down cannot wait any longer.”
It has been reported that Muhyiddin is expected to tender his resignation during an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong tomorrow.
It is widely speculated that Muhyiddin is stepping down as the prime minister in light of the loss of majority support from the Dewan Rakyat for his initiatives involving Parliamentary reforms announced on Friday.
On Friday, the prime minister expressed his willingness to work with parties outside of the PN government following a scheduled vote of confidence in Parliament.
He said in a special address that after the confidence vote was done, there would be a more stable and inclusive government that recognised bipartisan input in managing the Covid-19 pandemic.
After Muhyiddin’s address, many opposition MPs rejected his bipartisan cooperation offer, lamenting that he was only reaching out to them because his majority support in Parliament is in doubt. — Borneo Post
