PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was chosen to head the National Recovery Council (NRC) as he had been chairing the meetings from the beginning, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

       He told the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Sept 14) that Muhyiddin, who is also Pagoh MP, had been chairing the meetings since the NRC was formed.

       "That's why we gave him the trust to continue his duty," Ismail Sabri said in response to a question by Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PH- Kulim Bandar Bahru) on Tuesday (Sept 14).

       To a question on why the government relaxed social and economic restrictions despite the death toll hovering at three-digit figures daily, Ismail Sabri maintained the decision was done based on science and data.

       Ismail Sabri said there were only a few Covid-19 clusters from the 11 recently-reopened economic sectors, citing the example of barbers, beauty salons and car washes, which had led to few or no cases throughout 2020.

       "Based on data like this, we focussed on reopening certain sectors," he said.