The Malaysian Insight

PERIKATAN Nasional (PN) declared an emergency last year to protect itself rather than make the country safe from the raging Covid-19 pandemic, said Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

“They said the emergency was for the people and to make the country safe. But at the same time, the half-baked Movement Control Order was already running with limited aid and careless standard operating procedure,” said Asyraf during his opening speech at the 2021 Umno Youth assembly in World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur today.

“Who are the power-crazy ones when they suspended Parliament and spent the country’s money without any check and balance?” he asked.

He said the PN government, which includes Barisan Nasional, had spent RM173.3 billion in just 18 months.

During this time, Asyraf said the PN government had used RM5 billion from the National Heritage Fund and approved RM11 billion for Digital Nasional Bhd for the 5G project.

“All this was done in the name of emergency. 

“But the height of Perikatan’s betrayal was when it lied to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong about ending the emergency without going to Parliament. This was the first time the Conference of Rulers had expressed its disappointment,” said Asyraf.

“As such, how can Umno continue to work with them when we are not traitors?” 

To avoid an election, he said that PN has no choice but to replace Muhyiddin as prime minister and sign a memorandum of understanding with the opposition.

“This was to maintain the Perikatan composition in the cabinet.” 

Asyraf said that although Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob was made the prime minister, the current government is not an Umno government.”

“As such, many policies are still stuck. Lucky for us, Ismail Sabri was brave enough to approve the RM10,000 withdrawal from EPF.

“This government, however, is still held ransom by the opposition.

Although Asyraf did not directly repeat Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan’s call to hold the general election this year, he was nevertheless reiterating the rationale on why it should be called immediately.

“We want the mandate to be returned to the people and we reject this back-door government. Sharing power with traitors (PN) will only destabilise the government,” said Asyraf.

The 2021 Umno General Assembly began yesterday at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, and will end on Saturday. – March 17, 2022.