KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 — DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng suggested today that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob should remove Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as chairman of the National Recovery Council (NRC).

The Bagan MP said there was no point for the prime minister to engage in a blame game with Muhyiddin over Malaysia’s economic woes or retain the Bersatu leader if the government did not act on the NRC’s recommendations.

Instead, he urged the prime minister to show decisiveness in dealing with the economy to regain the confidence of Malaysians and foreign investors.

"What is the point of retaining Muhyiddin as NRC chairman if his and the NRC’s suggestions are ignored and cast aside?” Lim asked in a statement.

He added that Muhyiddin has also recently expressed frustration that his suggestions to extend the bank moratorium for small, medium businesses were ignored.

The former finance minister pointed out that the ringgit has been sliding and predicted that Malaysia’s food imports will increase further this year from the RM63 billion spent last year.

He said that the Pakatan Harapan coalition has also been urging the government to address the multitude of post-Covid economic problems ranging from the weakening ringgit, rising inflation and food prices, and sharp labour shortage.

"Ismail has to decide by next month whether to submit to Umno’s pressure and self-interest by calling for general elections during the monsoon season of massive floods this year, but he must do that from a position of strength and authority, and not with a divided government,” Lim said.

Muhyiddin took to Facebook two days ago to vent his frustrations at having the NRC’s recommendations ignored and suggested that elections be called soon if nothing concrete were to be done to reverse Malaysia’s economic blues.