31 BN MPs pledge support for Malaysian PM Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR — A total of 31 Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs have declared their support for Malaysia’s sitting government until the country’s Parliament reconvenes to decide Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s majority.

Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob led the group of lawmakers, 21 of whom were present at a press conference held in Kuala Lumpur. The remaining 10 pledged their support in absentia.

Mr Ismail Sabri said that any attempt to topple the current government would allegedly be against the Malaysian King’s decree to prove the Prime Minister’s majority in September.

Out of the 31, 27 were from BN’s dominant component Umno ― in opposition to the party’s resolution to pull support from the coalition.

This leaves a total of 11 Umno MPs still toeing the party line.

The announcement comes after Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi called for the party’s lawmakers to retract their support for the current government and prime minister.

Mr Zahid has also reportedly issued an ultimatum to Umno lawmakers on the issue.

Mr Ismail Sabri, who is also Umno vice-president, said the timing was not right to ask them to quit the government.

“Our focus is to help the government overcome the Covid-19 crisis. It would be irresponsible to the people if we rushed to quit the government as instructed by the party.

“The party’s objective is to serve the people. We will continue to remain with the government until its legitimacy is determined in Parliament,” he said.

Mr Ismail Sabri also said that this group agreed that a confidence vote would be tabled at the Dewan Rakyat next month.

“We are loyal to the Agong (King) in his decree that anything to do with the government should be done in Parliament.

“We are of the view that all other matters are not in keeping with the Agong’s call, whether it is about submitting declarations, or taking actions that could topple the government before Parliament convenes,” he said. AGENCIES