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In a statement today, he questioned why Ismail “refused” to chair the national recovery council (MPN) as the prime minister, appointing his predecessor Muhyiddin Yassin as chairman instead.
The Bagan MP said Ismail should head the council set up to implement the recovery plan and navigate the nation towards reopening more economic and social sectors.
“Muhyiddin’s appointment as the MPN chairman with ministerial status only demonstrates the new prime minister’s lack of commitment towards the recovery plan to normalise both the economy and the country.
“If Ismail is not even committed to the MPN, how can he generate confidence that he will be committed to institutional reforms, such as (introducing) an anti-hopping law to cut down defections by MPs who betray their electoral mandate?
“Such actions belie Ismail’s earlier professed commitment when he met the three leaders of Pakatan Harapan (PH) in his office in Putrajaya on Aug 25,” he said.
The former finance minister maintained that the council should exercise “real powers” and not be reduced to a “talk-shop” group chaired by Muhyiddin, adding that the Bersatu president was responsible for the ongoing health and economic crises.
Soon after Ismail was sworn in, the top three PH leaders met the prime minister in his office and issued a rare joint statement, while negotiations to pursue reforms in exchange for a confidence-supply agreement of sorts were said to be ongoing.
But Muhyiddin’s appointment as chairman of the recovery council last Saturday ruffled the feathers of the opposition and even some members of Ismail’s own party, Umno.
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