PADANG Rengas MP Nazri Aziz has withdrawn his support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, reducing the Perikatan Nasional government’s parliamentary seats to 109.

With the withdrawal, Muhyiddin has lost the support of MPs in the 222-seat chamber.

His withdrawal of support comes after the party’s Machang MP Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub withdrew support for the prime minister last Sunday.

The Padang Rengas Umno division chief made the announcement at a press conference at the Umno headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

He also speculated that the Umno general assembly at the end of this month may be postponed due to the emergency decision. 

The former de facto law minister said the emergency declaration by Muhyiddin was an admission by the prime minister he has lost majority support in Parliament.

This morning after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong consented to the emergency, Muhyiddin said the declaration was aimed at giving the government more powers to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Parliament will be suspended during the emergency period and there will be no by-elections or state and national elections,” said Muhyiddin during his national address today.

Under the emergency, the government will be able to enact new laws to help it fight the pandemic, he said.

Muhyiddin, however, denied the emergency was an attempt to seize power after losing majority support this week.

“But this emergency is not a military coup and curfew will not be enforced,” said Muhyiddin.

“The civilian government will continue to function as usual,” he said. – January 12, 2021.