Umno move to tackle Malaysia s Covid-19 crisis, not power grab: Zahid straitstimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from straitstimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Thursday, 08 Jul 2021 08:23 AM MYT
JULY 8 The die is cast. Match point to Umno, Zahid Hamidi steadies to serve as a bunch of Umno MPs try to make up their minds which side of the net to stand, while the match umpire holds up play for the PM’s bathroom break.
This year Wimbledon tours Putrajaya. Results will be delayed, though.
To those away from it, here’s the biggest news in a time of many big news.
Umno withdrew from the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government less than 12 hours after the coalition appointed Umno’s point man in the administration as deputy prime minister.
Handout from the Saudi Royal Palace via AFP
The largest party in Malaysia’s ruling bloc announced early Thursday that it was pulling its support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and calling on him to resign, saying his unelected government had mishandled the coronavirus pandemic and failed to uphold democratic principles.
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, president of the United Malays National Organization, made the stunning announcement that signaled the coalition’s apparent collapse following a four-hour meeting by UMNO’s supreme council that began Wednesday night. Hours earlier, Muhyiddin had promoted two ministers from UMNO, but his move failed to mollify the party, which had propped up his government since March 2020.
Malaysia’s biggest political party announced early on Thursday it was withdrawing its support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, and called on him to resign, underlining the political instability plaguing the country as it struggles to contain a resurgent coronavirus.
Politics have been in flux since a power grab within the then-governing coalition led to its collapse at the end of February last year. Muhyiddin emerged as prime minister after convincing the king he had sufficient support in Parliament, but has been under pressure ever since.
The escalating COVID-19 crisis has added to the government’s woes, with much of the country, including the capital Kuala Lumpur and its richest state, Selangor, in lockdown, and hospitals at or near capacity.
Malaysia withdraws support for Muhyiddin over increase in COVID pandemic Coronavirus News
Despite the “Emergency” reported in January, the coronavirus case has risen and anger at the government is growing.
Malaysia’s largest political party announced early Thursday that it was withdrawing support from Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, and demanded his resignation, stressing the political instability the country suffers as it struggles to have a recovered coronavirus.
It has been undergoing a policy change since taking over power within the then-governing coalition at the end of February last year. Muhyiddin was created after convincing the king as prime minister he had enough support in Parliament, but it has been so under pressure since then.