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Umno No 2 calls for fresh elections, cites Perikatan’s slim parliamentary majority as reason

Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan warned that Tan Sri Muhyiddin's position was not secure despite his current popularity. — Picture by Firdaus Latif
Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan warned that Tan Sri Muhyiddin's position was not secure despite his current popularity. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 — Malaysia should go to the polls soon, Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said tonight in a “live” broadcast on the Umno Online Facebook page.

The Rantau assemblyman said the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government—of which Umno is a partner—is in a very fragile state due to its slim majority in Parliament, adding that because of this, the alliance is  “under constant threat”.

“For me, the Perikatan National government is a government which has a very slim majority. With a government like this, it is difficult for us to table policies in Parliament, because it [the government] is always under constant threat, and as I said, under siege.

“We as the government now, I, as someone from the party representing the government. I say that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has not much choices, because for me, I feel he too wants to see a new mandate. Otherwise, [he has] to get up every morning to see whether or not I still have my seats.

“We cannot afford to have a government like that. What more when people see, they would think what kind of country is this,” Mohamad said.

He added that Muhyiddin’s popularity rating as prime minister is currently high but won’t last long, given the government’s position now.

“Who would want to invest in a country where its [government] majority is too slim? That’s why I say we cannot wait long,” Mohamad said during the Kabor Chini talk show.

He also said that in the current situation, it would not be a difficult task for the Opposition to vote down policies.

“So what is the best way is to get a renewed mandate? I trust the people are able to evaluate,” he added.

At about the same time as Mohamad’s talk was livestreamed, Muhyiddin released a statement on his Facebook page expressing confidence that he holds the majority political support in the country, amid the Opposition’s attempts for an ouster.

The Bersatu president said the heads of 12 political parties attended a meeting in Putrajaya earlier and expressed support for his informal PN alliance.

Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali who is currently partyless, was listed as present at the meeting as the PN chief whip alongside Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin as Bersatu secretary-general.

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