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Citing Italy, Slovakia and Poland, among others, he said the heads of the government or ministers entrusted with responsibilities in these countries had either resigned voluntarily or were sacked for failing to contain the pandemic.
He said although some have argued that it was important to focus on the government’s efforts to combat Covid-19 and set aside any politically motivated actions, Khaled said this was not entirely true.
“This is because the basis of optimism rests on the assumption that those given the responsibility to manage the pandemic are the most qualified and able to bring about the anticipated recovery.”
Unfortunately, that is not the case now, as shown by Umno’s withdrawal of support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, he said in a statement.
Khaled said the prime minister had clearly failed to effectively manage the Covid-19 crisis as the nation’s economy is worsening and its health emergency continues to worsen despite the Emergency and protracted lockdowns.
He also said a few things were expected to happen after Umno’s decision to withdraw support for the prime minister.
Firstly, Khaled said the prime minister and Perikatan Nasional (PN) would see that their strategies and actions had failed miserably and that it was absurd to continue to stick with the same approach.
“Secondly, this withdrawal of support could effectively quash any talk on the prime minister’s claimed parliamentary majority. It could provide a space for a reevaluation of the Dewan Rakyat’s confidence in him,” he said.
Thirdly, Khaled said this would show Umno was serious in taking care of the welfare of the people and country.
He said in the larger interests of the country, any offer of government positions to some of its leaders would not change the overall stand of Umno.
“Fourthly, Umno wishes to instil confidence and hope in the people. A new leader can certainly bring with him fresh hope and expectations.
“Thus, different strategies, approaches and more radical plans are needed more than ever,” he said.
Recently, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had announced, after a four-hour Supreme Council meeting, that the party was officially withdrawing its support for Muhyiddin.
He also asked Muhyiddin to step down as the government had failed to fulfil the requirements the party had set to justify support for the administration.
The decision came just hours after Muhyiddin had appointed Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the deputy prime minister and Barisan Nasional treasurer-general Hishammuddin Hussein as senior minister for security.
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