TO cement its hold on Putrajaya, Perikatan Nasional (PN) should call for a snap election to boost its thin majority, Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob told Sinar Harian today.
“The current government is not strong. The best solution is to return the mandate for the people to decide.
“For me, if the government dissolves Parliament today, I am confident we can win the election,” he said.
Ismail, who is a senior minister, said although the PN government should serve the rest of its term, it faces constant pressure from the opposition.
He added the government is working on reviving businesses despite the pressure.
“The opposition is still putting pressure, talking about toppling the government and calling for a vote of no-confidence against the prime minister.
“This is despite knowing that the prime minister (Muhyiddin Yassin) enjoys high approvals as the people are confident in his ability to lead.”
He added that Muhyiddin is at the mercy of MPs because the PN government only holds a three-seat majority in the 222-member Dewan Rakyat.
“If it is in the hands of the people, there won’t be a problem. But it is in the hands of MPs, and the difference in MPs (between PN and Pakatan Harapan) is not much.
“That is why it is better we let the people decide.
“The opposition claims it is accepted by the people. Let the people decide who they really want.”
The Pakatan Harapan government came into power in the 2018 general election and collapsed late February after Muhyiddin pulled Bersatu out of the coalition.
Muhyiddin was sworn in as the new prime minister on March 1 after forming a new coalition with PKR defectors, Barisan Nasional, PAS, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, Parti Bersatu Sabah and STAR Sabah. – June 21, 2020
