By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Jan 6: Amid the increasing daily Covid-19 positive cases, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing is calling for both Umno and Perikanan Nasional (PH) MPs to cease their confrontation and instead support the administration of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin until the current term expires in 2023.
He said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, it was just not the right time to hold a snap general election in the event the Perikatan Nasional government collapses. He said the safety of the people must be the first priority and must be given major concern.
“What Umno and PH MPs should do now is to give Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin the full support till the 15th General Election (GE15).
“Then let those who wish to administer Malaysia, seek the mandate of the Malaysian people to be the administrator of this nation,” Masing told DayakDaily through WhatsApp message today.
He reiterated that for Umno to call for a snap General Election amid the Covid-19 pandemic is akin to a choice between being squashed by hard rock or to swim through the perilous waves of the deep blue sea safely.
“As of now, Tan Sri Muhyiddin’s government, it seems, is like waking up every morning and counting whether he has the number to administer this nation; or will he take the risk and go for a snap general election to settle the current political instability engulfing the nation.
“That is not a good way to run this government. Tan Sri Muhyiddin doesn’t have much of a choice. Tan Sri Muhyiddin needs a stable government to administer this country politically and socially,” he said.
However, Masing, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, asserted that should Muhyiddin have no choice but to call for a snap general election, then stringent standard operating procedures (SOPs) should be put in place to ensure the safety of the people, especially the voters.
“It’s a Hobson’s choice for Tan Sri Muhyiddin. This seems to be the only way out for Tan Sri Muhyiddin before he’s thrown out by unruly MPs,” he reiterated.
Masing was asked to comment on current ties between Umno and Bersatu which have reached a breaking point, with leaders from Umno having openly trained their guns on PN over the weekend.
Several prominent Umno leaders including its president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, have called on their MPs to step down from their posts in government and government agencies by the end of this month, in a bid to push for a general election to be held as soon as possible.
Similarly, Umno secretary-general Datuk Ahmad Maslan was also reported to have said that any decision on Umno MPs to quit the PN government before February would be finalised during the party’s supreme council meeting tonight. -DayakDaily
