DAP lawmakers will meet tomorrow to discuss the current political situation following Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s promise to table a confidence motion in the next Parliament sitting.

A source told The Malaysian Insight that the meeting, which is the party’s monthly meeting, would focus on whether to support the embattled prime minister and what to do next if he resigns.

“The pulling out of 12 Umno MPs and the confidence motion has thrown several issues into the mix.

“The first question is whether we should vote against Muhyiddin and the second is what happens next if he resigns,” the party source said.

The lawmaker said the party’s 42 MPs are split on this as some believe that toppling Muhyiddin may return Umno’s “kleptocrats” to power.

There are also some MPs who believe that the Muhyiddin administration was a “ticking time bomb” that should be allowed to “self-implode”, he said.

DAP publicity chief Tony Pua said yesterday that while this was the opposition’s best chance to bring down the prime minister who betrayed the voters’ mandate won in 2018, it could also bring Umno back into power.

“And when any Umno leader becomes prime minister, wouldn’t all the kleptocrats be set free?” he said.

Pua is believed to be referring to Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former president Najib Razak.

Zahid is currently facing trial for corruption while Najib, who was convicted for having received RM42 million from 1Malaysia Development Bhd unit SRC International Sdn last year, and is now appealing the charge. The former prime minister is also facing multiple charges in court for other 1MDB-related cases.

Other DAP lawmakers believe that this was also an opportunity to end the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government’s mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic and economy.

“Malaysians everywhere are genuinely suffering from the mismanagement of the economy and this is our chance to bring them relief.

“Putting politics aside, Pakatan Harapan, together with Pejuang, Warisan, Muda, PSB and others, can do something good for the Malaysians, particularly the lower-income groups who have suffered even more under the PN government,” Pua added.

On paper, Muhyiddin is now estimated to have 103 votes among the Dewan Rakyat’s 220 MPs, after two lawmakers died last year.

The 103 is after removing 12 from Umno – assumed to be the 11 at Zahid’s press conference on Tuesday, plus Shamsul Anuar Nasarah, the Lenggong MP who resigned as energy and natural resources minister on the same day.

Pakatan Harapan has 88, while Warisan (8) and Pejuang (4) together have 12. Another five come from PSB (2), Muda (1), Upko (1) and one independent.

In total, those against Muhyiddin would number 117. – August 5, 2021.