PERAK MCA’s youth chief has asked Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to step down for failing to manage the Covid-19 pandemic.

Breaking ranks from his party’s official stand, Daniel Wa Wai How was reported as saying in Malay daily Sinar Harian that a more capable person was needed to take over from Muhyiddin to lead the government.

“For me personally, the prime minister must step down so that we can have a new person in charge of leading the nation in facing the crisis.

“The new prime minister must be given about six months to continue the vaccination programme and prepare the nation for general election,” he was quoted as telling the daily.

Wa, who is also the national MCA youth secretary, said Muhyiddin must realise that his administration has failed in curbing the pandemic with cases continuing to increase despite the people being told to stay at home for months now.

He also said that the administration has allowed factories to continue operating despite there being clusters there.

Wa added that Muhyiddin had used the emergency to stay in power instead of combating Covid-19.

“We need a leader who can lead the country away from Covid-19 and to revive the economy, not a leader who uses the emergency to hold onto power,” said Wa.

According to Wa, the likes of Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and former prime minister Najib Razak are capable of steering the country back on track.

Wa’s call comes just a day after MCA and MIC signed a joint Perikatan Nasional (PN) statement pledging to support Muhyiddin and party leaders in carrying out their duties.

The statement was signed by MCA and MIC information chiefs Chan Quin Er and V Gunalan. Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan, however, did not sign it.

Umno, MCA and MIC are all in Barisan Nasional.

Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan yesterday shared the statement, which was also signed by the information chiefs of PAS, Star, Gerakan, PDP, PBS, SAPP, SUPP, PB, and PRS.

The Agong on Thursday accused de facto law minister Takiyuddin Hassan of misleading the Dewan Rakyat by saying that the emergency ordinances had been revoked – despite not receiving royal consent.

The Prime Minister’s Office, in response, defended its decision saying it had acted in accordance with the federal constitution, which also stated that the king must follow the cabinet’s advice.

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had cited the king’s official statement to call for Muhyiddin and the cabinet to resign. – August 1, 2021.