“I Genuinely Want To Help”: Muhyiddin Says He Will Resign As MPN Head If The Public Wants Him To

By Lara Kramer  •  04 Jul 2022 in News

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In response to UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s claim that the MPN is no longer applicable now that the government has established a special committee to wage jihad on rising prices, Muhyiddin Yassin, chairman of the National Recovery Council (MPN), has stated that he is willing to step down if necessary.

However, he will only do so at the request of the public, namely Malaysian citizens.

Jihad, meaning “holy struggle”, in this context refers to the strain faced by locals daily in the midst of inflation.

The “jihad task force” headed by communications and multimedia minister Annuar Musa is seeking a balance between supply and demand in domestic markets.

Zahid stated on Thursday (June 30) that the initiation of the special committee to combat inflation implied that the MPN was no longer functional, vital, or connected with Putrajaya’s most latest mission to assist the public.

He also claimed that the committee had ended in failure and that MPN was simply a device for Muhyiddin to boost his own image, as per Babab.

Previously, Muhyiddin emphasised that he was requested to head the committee by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and that the MPN plays a major role in making recommendations to the government.

According to the former prime minister, the council can only suggest guidelines that it believes will serve the government.

In response to the matter, Muhyiddin has stated that the general populace should evaluate the council’s efficiency.

“What politicians are saying doesn’t count. To me, the citizenry’s assessment is more important. If the general public says, ‘Muhyiddin, you must stop,’ I would,” he said at a Perikatan Nasional (PN) event in Kelantan.

He went on to say that he is serving pro bono and has not requested a single sen. Essentially, he is not being compensated, and his genuine intention is to aid those in need.

The 75-year-old also asserted that the council had proposed reopening the country’s borders in January, three months prior to when the state chose to do so.

“Why did we request that it be opened sooner? Only because the longer our borders remain closed, the more difficult it will be to boost our economy. We won’t get any foreign visitors, and we’ll take a loss.

“If you’re wondering whether we’re efficient or not, the council has no executive power. We are not a government body or ministry. We’re an advisory body to the government. It’s up to the government to decide whether we succeeded or failed,” said the politician.