PRIME Minister Muhyiddin Yassin assured the nation today he will call for an election once the Covid-19 situation has improved.

Addressing the country in a live telecast to mark one year of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government in power, Muhyiddin said he had no plans to stay in office forever.

“I am aware of the meaning of democracy. None of the emergency ordinances in the proclamation allow the prime minister to stay in power forever. As a matter of fact, the proclamation has an expiry date, which is August 1, 2021.

“Once the pandemic is over and the situation improves, I will advise the king to dissolve Parliament and elections will be held. The people will be free to decide the party they want as their government.

“As for now, allow us in PN to focus on managing the pandemic,” he said.

Muhyiddin also reiterated that the current state of emergency was not political.

“I would like to touch on the emergency proclamation that was consented to by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The emergency proclamation was solely to address the Covid-19 pandemic.

“All of the ordinances consented to by the king was to allow the government to tackle the pandemic in a more efficient way, including improving foreign workers’ hostels, one of the reasons for the spike in positive cases.” 

A year ago today, Muhyiddin was sworn in as the country’s eighth prime minister, replacing Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who resigned after Bersatu, the party he founded with Muhyiddin, left Pakatan Harapan against his wishes. 

Muhyiddin led Bersatu, Umno, PAS, defectors from PKR and Sarawak parties in forming a new coalition. He was also deemed to have majority support in Parliament after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong met MPs individually and then with party heads to determine the next prime minister.

In early January, Muhyiddin lost his slim parliamentary majority when two Umno MPs withdrew their support for his government.

The Pagoh MP has managed to stay in power as the country is under a state of emergency, with Parliament, legislative assemblies and elections suspended.

Yesterday, however, Muhyiddin regained the support of two MPs from PKR, who signed statutory declarations supporting the PN government. – March 1, 2021.