BARISAN Nasional (BN) lawmakers are discussing if there is a need for Muhyiddin Yassin to step down as prime minister, said Hishammuddin Hussein.

In confirming this, the BN treasurer-general said the meeting earlier today was held to get feedback from the coalition’s MPs.

“We want to discuss and I want to hear BN’s view on this,” the Sembrong MP said as he arrived at the Putra World Trade Centre today.

A slew of BN ministers were seen joining the meeting, which began at 12.30pm, after attending an earlier cabinet in Putrajaya today.

Hishammuddin said this when asked if there was a need for Muhyiddin to resign after the king last night rejected Putrajaya’s request to impose a nationwide emergency to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hishammuddin, however, refused to comment on whether his party, Umno, still supported Perikatan Nasional.

“I don’t know… we will wait for the Umno meeting,” he said.

Earlier today, Muhyiddin met political party chiefs at his office but Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was absent.

BN counts 43 MPs among its ranks, with Umno accounting for 39 of them. The rest are from MCA (2), MIC (1) and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (1).

Muhyiddin’s cabinet sought royal consent to take emergency powers and suspend the legislature, using escalating Covid-19 infection numbers as its justification.

Yesterday, the king rejected the request, saying all politicians should come together to support Budget 2021 and combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

Zahid yesterday panned Muhyiddin for seeking emergency rule without discussing or getting a consensus from other parties in the ruling coalition.

“This episode clearly teaches us that implementation of any major steps that is to be taken by the government requires a process of deliberation and consensus of all parties,” the former deputy prime minister had said.

“Therefore, it is appropriate to start a national reconciliation initiative that includes a political, economic, social and security agenda.” – October 26, 2020.