KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The question of whether Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin should step down is among issues to be discussed by Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs at a meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Monday (Oct 26).
Newly appointed BN treasurer-general Hishammuddin Hussein said this is one of the topics of discussion.
"I want to hear BN's position first," he said when asked if there was a need for Tan Sri Muhyiddin to step down following calls from several quarters to do so.
Asked whether Umno would continue to support Mr Muhyiddin, Mr Hishammuddin said that he was unable to answer, pending Umno's supreme council meeting to be held later on Monday night.
"I don't know. We have to wait for Umno meeting first," he said.
BN consists of four parties allied to Prime Minister Muhyiddin's Perikatan Nasional government. The BN members are Umno with 39 MPs, the Malaysian Chinese Association (two MPs), Malaysian Indian Congress (one MP) and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (one MP).
Mr Hishammuddin was among several ministers who rushed to attend the BN meeting after meeting Mr Muhyiddin, who chaired a special Cabinet meeting in Putrajaya earlier.
Earlier, BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the BN meeting was called to allow the coalition MPs to raise any questions following recent political developments.
It was learnt that the meeting was a pre-council meeting involving BN MPs to discuss matters before the start of Parliament sitting on Nov 2.
Also seen arriving for the meeting were former prime minister Najib Razak and veteran Umno lawmaker Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who have been critical of Mr Muhyiddin's administration.
The meeting comes after the King' announcement on Sunday that there was no need to impose emergency measures in the country amid the Covid-19 pandemic after consulting other state monarchs. Mr Muhyiddin had proposed the emergency measures to the King last Friday, after discussing it with his Cabinet ministers.
The King also reminded all politicians, particularly lawmakers, to immediately put a stop to all forms of politicking that could disrupt the stability of the country, adding that he had confidence in the current administration in dealing with the Covid-19 outbreak.
