JOHOR BARU: A PKR lawmaker believes that Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is not a dictator, and that his good nature will lead him to eventually accept defeat and vacate his position.

       Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim has appealed to Muhyiddin to step down immediately rather than wait to prove himself through a vote of confidence when Parliament convenes in September.

       Hassan claimed that the Pagoh MP already knew that he had lost the majority support of the Dewan Rakyat, as well as the backing of the Palace at this point, following Umno’s move to rescind their support for him recently.

       “He knows that the number of MPs in the Opposition bloc has surpassed that of the government.

       “As a government leader, Muhyiddin knows the importance of legitimacy - both for himself as well as the government.

       “Surely he feels uneasy being called an illegitimate prime minister and to have his government’s legitimacy questioned again and again.

       “He is a good leader and not one that wants to be a dictator. This is my view, but I might be wrong.

       “However, I believe that in the end, Muhyiddin will give in and accept his fate as the question of his legitimacy as a prime minister haunts him everyday,” he said in a statement on Thursday (Aug 12).

       Hassan also advised Muhyiddin not to go against the Palace because in a constitutional crisis, it has the powers to remove a prime minister, which would set a negative precedent for the country’s history.

       He told the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president, who was once his colleague when both of them were part of Pakatan Harapan, to make a noble and respected move, one that would be praised by the rakyat.

       “The people want a peaceful political change and for the nation’s focus to go back to fighting against Covid-19.

       “They also hope for a more effective political leadership that will help to revive the economy and improve their lives,” he said.