A SPECIAL Parliament session must be held no later than August 9 to debate a vote of confidence for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, opposition parties said today.

They said the vote cannot be postponed until September.

The joint statement came from PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, Warisan president Shafie Abdullah, Pejuang president Mukhriz Mahathir, Wilfred Madius Tangau (Upko), Baru Bian (PSB), Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muda) and Maszlee Malik (independent).

“All opposition parties are of the view that a special Parliament session must be called as soon as possible, no later than August 9 in line with Article 11(3) of the Standing Orders of the Dewan Rakyat.

“It makes no sense for a government that has failed to show it has legitimacy and majority to continue to delay this process,” they said in a joint statement.

They added that the issue of legitimacy and majority support must be tabled, debated and voted upon as soon as possible given that the deaths from the Covid-19 pandemic are on the rise, while the economy is still struggling.

Muhyiddin announced this afternoon that he will face a motion of confidence in the Dewan Rakyat sitting in September to clear all doubts about his support.

This came after Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s announcement yesterday that up to 11 party MPs have withdrawn support for the prime minister and the Perikatan Nasional government.

However, Muhyiddin said today only eight Umno members had done so.

In his meeting with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah this morning, Muhyiddin said he informed the king he still held a parliamentary majority. – August 4, 2021.