'I've seen smarter cabinets at IKEA': M'sians express dissatisfaction with outgoing PM Muhyiddin

It seems like he won't be missed.

Jean Chien Tay| August 16, 2021, 06:54 PM

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Malaysia's eighth prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin has officially confirmed his resignation on Aug. 16 in a national broadcast on Radio Televisyen Malaysia.

He said in a live announcement that he is resigning due to the loss of majority support in parliament.

In his emotional farewell, in which he said Aug. 16 was his last day as prime minister, he added that he treats all Malaysians like his children, and that the people's welfare was the priority of his administration.

He further stressed that he "kept to his principles" and did not want to compromise with "kleptocrats" to keep his power.

According to a statement released by the Istana Negara (official residence of Malaysia's king), Muhyiddin will continue as the caretaker prime minister as the king is not in favour of an election due to the raging pandemic.

Meanwhile, several prominent political figures have weighed in on the situation, including Najib Razak and Syed Saddiq.

Najib pens a poem

Former prime minister Najib Razak, who is widely considered as one of the potential candidates for the top job, posted a poem on his Facebook page after Muhyiddin announced his resignation.The translation of the poem is as follows:

"The rain has come.

After the rain, there will be a rainbow waiting.

After the darkness, there will be rays of light shining.

After the suffering, there will be happiness.

May Allah bless Malaysia and her people.

If Allah wills."

At the time of writing, the post garnered over 103,000 "likes", 30,000 comments and 1,900 shares.

There were divided opinions from online commenters, who showed varying degrees of support for Najib.

Some poked fun at him, saying that he's implying that he himself is the "rainbow", whilst others expressed their desire to see him ascend to power again.

(Sarcastically) "Wow! Are you the rainbow?"

"We want Bossku (Najib's nickname)! We want Najib to be the caretaker prime minister! Please consider my request! We love you!"

Potential PM candidate weighs in

Muhyiddin's deputy Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is also a potential candidate for the prime minister's seat, took to Facebook to express his gratitude for being given a "big responsibility" during these "tough times".He highlighted the priority of fighting Covid-19 and apologised for any "mistakes" he made during his time of service.

Ismail previously reached out to ex-prime minister Mahathir for his support, in a bid to become the next prime minster, as per Malaysiakini.

However, Mahathir is reportedly in favour of a different arrangement, and has expressed his wishes to launch the National Recovery Council (NRC), a bipartisan initiative that will supposedly focus on "serious health and economic problems".

Syed Saddiq: politics will be politics

Formerly Malaysia's youngest minister, Syed Saddiq, also expressed his thoughts on Facebook about an hour after Muhyiddin's announcement.The former youth and sports minister mentioned that he will continue to work and focus on "serving".

The member of parliament for Muar also highlighted his fundraiser for his constituency amounting to more than RM1,600,000 (S$511,000).

He shared that his office had given out 1,200 laptops and 15,000 "food baskets" to families in need, and teased an upcoming "special education fund" for the youths of Muar.

"I want to ensure that no one will be left behind in securing an equal access to opportunities, regardless of race & religion", he added.

Hishamuddin changes title on Facebook

An hour before the broadcast, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senior Minister (Security) of Muhyiddin's cabinet, Hishamuddin Hussein, updated his Facebook profile to "Member of Parliament for Sembrong" and "Treasurer-General of Barisan Nasional".

He later posted a video to announce his resignation from his ministerial duties, thanked people who supported him along the way, and apologised for "any shortcomings" throughout his tenure.

"Fellow Malaysians, it has been an honour and privilege to serve our beloved country and her people", he added.

Netizen's reactions

Several Malaysian netizens took to social media to express their dissatisfaction with the outgoing administration, with the hashtag "Muhyiddin out" trending on Twitter.

A netizen took a dig at Muhyiddin's cabinet, posting a picture of a sign that reads "I have seen smarter cabinets at IKEA".

 

Another netizen posted a strong-worded criticism, labelling him "foolish" and "a coward".

Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur-based journalist Hadi Azmi poked fun at Muhyiddin's statement, likening it to a "bad breakup".

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Top image via Muhyiddin Yassin/Facebook

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