MOST ministers have not been seen or heard from during the movement control order (MCO), but they are working, said Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said he had instructed Defence Minister Ismail Sabri and director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah to be the government’s spokesmen during the Covid-19 pandemic.

This, Muhyiddin said, was because he did not want others giving comments or being government spokesmen on the pandemic.

“However, this does not mean that the ministers are not working,” he said in an interview with RTM and Astro Awani today.

“They should stay at home because of the MCO but I have given instructions that if they have work to do, then they must come to the office.”

He was responding to allegations that the ministers were not working during MCO.

Muhiyiddin said that, despite the MCO, they have to continue their work.

“We don’t want to see any backlog when the MCO is lifted.

This, he said, applies to ministers and all civil servants, as well.

Muhyiddin said this is best time to review what they have in their ministries and what needs to be prioritised.

“When we lift the MCO and want to revive the economy and improve the people’s lives then now is the best time to plan and implement it and not keep quiet.

“I’m also monitoring all the ministries. The ministers have also contributed their two months’ salary during the MCO to the government.

“They will carry out their duties even under these conditions for the people interests.”

Earlier today, director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said 99 patients have recovered from Covid-19 and been discharged from hospitals, exceeding the 51 new cases reported.

He said there were two deaths reported over the past 24 hours, bringing the national death toll to 98. – April 25, 2020.