KUALA LUMPUR: Umno has retracted its support for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin effective immediately.
Party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the decision was made by the Umno Supreme Council during a special meeting held online tonight which lasted for four hours.
He said the Supreme Council was also urging Muhyiddin to step down and make way for a new prime minister.
“To fulfil the mandate of delegates during the 2020 Umno General Assembly and based on the failures of the government to fulfil the people’s aspirations, the time to lend support to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister is now withdrawn and ended effective immediately.
“Therefore, Umno is urging Muhyiddin to step down respectfully so that a new prime minister can be appointed for a limited period.
“The new prime minister will only focus on efforts to help the people during the pandemic, addressing the Covid-19 virus through an inclusive approach and ensuring that the vaccination process can be expedited.
“After herd immunity is achieved, the new prime minister must advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to return the mandate to the people so that the 15th general election can be held,” he said in a statement.
Zahid said the appointment of a new prime minister was crucial as the country and the people need a stable and functioning government.
He also said that Umno would neither nominate nor cooperate with PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“The Supreme Council meeting tonight also reaffirmed its stance as decided in the 2020 General Assembly which is to not provide any support in nominating Anwar to be the prime minister or a government that is led by DAP and Pakatan Harapan.”
Tonight’s decision came less than 12 hours after Muhyiddin announced the appointments of Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the new deputy prime minister and Umno senior leader Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein as the senior foreign minister.-NST