KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 — Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin chaired today a special meeting without the chief ministers from states held by Perikatan Nasional (PN) rivals, signalling his refusal to put aside partisan differences in the face of a national crisis.

The Pakatan Harapan (PH) leadership revealed that Muhyiddin chaired a National Action Council meeting without the presence of Selangor, Kedah, Negri Sembilan, Penang and Sabah, states that account for 40 per cent of Covid-19 infection cases.

"The PH secretariat was made aware that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin held a special meeting with Mentri Besar and chief ministers to streamline the Movement Control Order between states today,” the Opposition coalition said in a statement.

"Unfortunately, PH was made to understand that the MB from Selangor, Kedah, and Negri Sembilan as well as chief ministers from Sabah and Pulau Pinang were not invited for the special meeting.”

On Twitter, Selangor and Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shaari and Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir criticised the exclusion. 

Amirudin said what Muhyiddin did went against the spirit of cooperation expected in times of crisis. 

"Selangor is the state most affected by the Covid-19 outbreak, the state administration regrets the fact that it was left out from such an important process that involves human lives,” he wrote.

"This was obviously against the spirit of our willingness to work with all parties including with the federal government.”

Mukhriz also took to Twitter to express his displeasure. 

"Kedah was also uninvited,” the Bersatu leader posted in a reply to Amirudin.

"Perhaps there are no Covid-19 cases in Kedah,” he added.

Muhyiddin announced on "live” television last night the government’s decision to invoke Public Health Act 342 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988, a law that allows for a partial lockdown.

The prime minister said movement control was necessary to mitigate the Covid-19 outbreak, as new infection cases spiked drastically over the last two weeks, now reaching over 600 with two deaths reported today.

PH leaders responded to the restriction order critically, suggesting the move was ill-informed while others were more blatant, blaming the rise in infection on Muhyiddin’s Cabinet ministers, whom they chided as incompetent.

Today, the coalition said the exclusion of MBs from PH, Bersatu and Warisan reflected the narrow partisan politics of the PN government.

"If it’s just due to political differences between these state administrations and the federal government, then it is the people that lose from this narrow partisan act.”