PUTRAJAYA, Sept 27 — National Recovery Council (NRC) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today blamed the government for its delay in implementing the council’s recommendation for economic recovery.

He said the council was created to find ways to kickstart the economic recovery post Covid-19 and so far they have already sent 95 recommendations to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob administration to consider.

"I raised this matter in a statement to the media on May 12 and the prime minister responded that he would discuss the matter with relevant ministers before making a decision.

"I am a bit surprised because the memorandum on this matter was raised to the minister four months ago.

"The delay in acting in this regard is unacceptable,” he told reporters at the NRC press conference today.

Muhyiddin said NRC had submitted 95 recommendations for Ismail’s administration to consider, with 69 of them involving socio-economic issues and 26 related to governance.

He said while 86 recommendations have been approved, only 16 have been fully implemented, 30 are in the process of being implemented, and 14 have yet to be implemented.

"I do not intend to point fingers at anyone. My purpose is to make everyone aware that our country is not in a good situation at the moment.

"Although there are positive indicators in terms of growth rate, consumption rate, unemployment rate and others, these indicators are temporary before our country faces the expected global economic recession next year.

"If immediate steps are not taken to improve the current situation, people will suffer," he said.

Muhyiddin, who is also president of Bersatu and chairman of Perikatan Nasional, insisted that the MPN is only an advisory body to the government without executive powers, although it is made up of ministers responsible for finance, trade, defence, public works, education, health, and the economy.

"As MPN chairman, I do not have the authority to instruct the minister or the chief secretary of the ministry or the director general of the government department (to) take certain measures or make certain decisions to speed up the process of national recovery.

"This power rests in the hands of the prime minister and the Cabinet,” he said.

Muhyiddin previously claimed that Ismail’s administration has failed to lead the country to economic recovery.

However, Ismail on September 19 stressed that if he is accused of failing to manage the national economy well, then the failure also involves the NRC.