MEMBERS of the cabinet spent two hours in a meeting with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin at his private residence in Bukit Damansara today, hours after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong rejected the government’s request for emergency powers to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ministers were seen converging on the prime minster’s private home in Kuala Lumpur as speculation mounts on Muhyiddin’s next course of action and the stability of his barely eight-months old government.

Reports citing unnamed sources said Muhyiddin was contemplating stepping down after failing to convince the king to put the country under emergency rule.

Among those spotted at Muhyiddin’s residence were Economic Affairs Minister Mustapa Mohamed, Religious Affair Minister Zulkifli Bakri, Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Human Resources Minister M. Saravan and former chief justice Ariffin Zakaria.

Others included law minister Takiyuddin Hassan, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Harun, Deputy Federal Territories Minister Edmund Santhara Kumar, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Redzuan Yusof, Higher Education Minister Noraini Ahmad, Education Minister Radzi Jidin and several Bersatu members.

The king today rejected Putrajaya’s proposal to declare an emergency to curb Covid-19 in the country.

Muhyiddin issued a statement saying the cabinet took note of the king’s decree and would discuss it further.

Muhyiddin’s cabinet last Friday agreed to request the king for a proclamation of emergency, ostensibly to fight the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country which has seen cases surpass the 25,000 mark and more than 200 deaths.

The huddle at Muhyiddin’s house tonight comes after the Prime Minister’s Office cancelled a meeting with the leaders of all state governments tomorrow. – October 25, 2020.