SHOWING unanimous support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is the only way for ministers to hold on to their present ministerial posts, political analysts and opposition lawmakers said.

They said this show of support is also a snub to Umno as the announcement from the cabinet ministers came after the party withdrew support for Muhyiddin.

Umno lawmakers hold nine ministerial and eight deputy ministerial positions in the Muhyiddin-led administration.

Political analyst Oh Ei Sun told The Malaysian Insight that as the political scenario is so uncertain nowadays, it is understandable that the ministers would like to hold on to their present positions.

“They might lose the same in future reorganisation of the political puzzle pieces,” Oh said.

Opposition lawmaker Hannah Yeoh shared the same sentiment that the unanimous support was self-serving.

“It is done for themselves. United for self-preservation,” the Segambut MP said.

In a three-paragraph statement earlier today, the ministers said the decision to continue backing Muhyiddin as prime minister was made at today’s cabinet meeting.

“Members of the cabinet wish to state that all government decisions are made collectively by the cabinet after taking into account the views of all parties.

“The government’s priority at this time is to make the national recovery plan a success for the people’s welfare and the nation’s prosperity, and to lead the nation out of the Covid-19 pandemic,” they said in the statement.

Muda co-founder Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman criticised the government for playing “musical chair” while the people are dying.

“Umno and Perikatan Nasional are playing the game of musical chairs while Malaysians are dying.

“It shows how insensitive they are to the plight of the people,” he said.

Since the start of the pandemic last year, Malaysia has been put under three lockdowns, with the most recent one on June 1.

Under the lockdown, non-essential businesses are not allowed to operate. Small businesses have had to bear the brunt of the on-and-off lockdowns since March last year. Many have decided to shutter for good as they could no longer hold on after 16 months.

There has also been a surge of Malaysians asking for food aid as many have lost their source of income due to the pandemic. Some Malaysians have even resorted to shoplifting out of desperation.

They have turned to the white flag movement to ask for food and monetary aid. Non-governmental organisations, convenience stores, and even petrol stations have also set up counters where people can take food items that they need.

Under the national recovery plan announced by Muhyiddin last month, the country will open in phases, subject to a decrease in the number of daily infections, a rise in the percentage of fully vaccinated population, and the healthcare system not being in a critical state. The plan foresees that the country will go back to semi-normal by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Ilham Centre’s director Hisomuddin Bakar said the statement from the cabinet ministers was a slap on Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s face.

“Ministers from Umno seem to be reluctant to follow the party’s decision to withdraw support for the PM.

“It is actually a slap in the face of the Umno president that the supreme council’s decision does not affect the Perikatan Nasional government and Muhyiddin’s leadership.” he said.

Hisomuddin said that the statement was in fact not necessary, because if the ministers who were appointed to their respective roles by Muhyiddin did not support the prime minister, they should have resigned.

“This is the principle of collective responsibility,” he said.

Last week, Umno withdrew support for Muhyiddin, saying that the government had failed to fulfil the guidelines presented by the party’s Supreme Council on March 11, 2020.

Following Umno’s announcement, Muhyiddin promoted Ismail Sabri Yaacob to the post of deputy prime minister, while Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein was promoted to senior minister.

Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad likened the show of support to a quid pro quo.

“You scratch my back I scratch yours. You appoint me as minister, I support you as prime minister even though we have both failed terribly,” he said. – July 14, 2021.