CALM might have returned to Malaysian politics today with Umno insisting it supports the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, but events in the past week have clearly damaged Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Muhyiddin’s request to invoke emergency powers was rejected and rebuked in two separate letters from Istana Negara and the Keeper of the Royal Seal, who represents the Conference of Rulers, on Sunday.

“The letters are worse than a vote of no-confidence,” a lawyer who works with the PN government told The Malaysian Insight.

“In essence, the royals questioned the prime minister’s assessment of events that require emergency powers. And they said no one should overstep their limits,” he added.

Another sign of shrinking confidence is director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah’s audience with the Conference of Rulers on Sunday to brief them about efforts to contain the Covid-19 pandemic that has cost 236 lives and 27,805 infections.

“The royals didn’t call the health minister for a briefing but went straight to the source. That says everything about the government,” a political analyst told The Malaysian Insight.

But the Muhyiddin government remains in place, buoyed by declarations of support by Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) yesterday, and both PAS and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) today.

That was the position last Wednesday when Umno declared a political ceasefire with PN about its support, with a demand to reset terms of cooperation.

But elements in Muhyiddin’s Bersatu party felt the ceasefire was insincere and pushed for the government to invoke emergency powers to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

The powers would allow the government to suspend Parliament for up to six months, any elections and take all other steps to contain the pandemic.

The cabinet agreed to ask for emergency powers in a special meeting on Friday and Muhyiddin, with key ministers and officials, went to Kuantan for an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to seek an emergency proclamation. 

That did not happen and the king instead convened a special meeting of the Malay rulers on Sunday where they snubbed the prime minister’s request, turning the focus from Covid-19 to calls for political unity to approve Budget 2021 due to be tabled on November 6.

Political insiders say the Budget 2021 proposals are at the centre of the push for emergency rule as the Muhyiddin government is still unsure of Umno’s support in the next parliamentary sitting.

“If Budget 2021 doesn’t go through, the Muhyiddin government falls. But asking for emergency powers is as good as admitting the government does not have a majority,” an Umno leader told The Malaysian Insight.

“Look, it is still 113-108 with Batu Sapi vacant. The prime minister should just carry on and do his job, not ask for more powers now,” he added, noting the majority in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat.

Political analysts say Umno’s decision yesterday to keep its support for PN and not work with Anwar or DAP to form another government reflects the political realities of the day. 

“This is an uneasy truce. And Umno has boxed itself that it cannot work with Anwar or the DAP. Neither can the DAP work with Umno.

“So Muhyiddin survives for the moment. But it won’t be easy and it won’t be long before this comes up again and he has to either resign or call for snap polls,” said one analyst. – October 27, 2020.

* Jahabar Sadiq runs The Malaysian Insight.