The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has dismissed a Sarawak Report’s allegation that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin broke quarantine to go abroad for medical treatment.
“We wish to categorically state that the content of the report is completely baseless, and the allegations are indeed malicious,” the PMO said in a statement today.
The PMO said during the quarantine period, the Prime Minister had strictly adhered to the standard operating procedure (SOP) and did not leave his house.
“All official duties were conducted from home, including a video conference with Senior Minister of Defence and Director General of Health,” the statement said.
The Prime Minister had observed the self-quarantine order for 14 days from May 22 as advised by the Ministry of Health after he chaired a post-Cabinet meeting which was attended by an officer who was later confirmed positive for Covid-19.
The PMO said that the allegations made by the Sarawak Report that Muhyiddin had broken quarantine rules and flew overseas were merely a fiction created by the writer.
“The writer and the Sarawak Report news portal must be held accountable for the false allegations hurled at the Prime Minister. The burden of proof is on the writer to back these frivolous claims regarding the private jet, hospital in Singapore and doctors as alleged.
“The failure to do so shows that the report is of malicious intent and is nothing but a smear campaign on the Prime Minister,” it said.
The PMO said the report was an unnecessary distraction at a time when the country is facing an unprecedented health pandemic and monumental economic challenges ahead.
“With regards to Tan Sri Muhyiddin’s health conditions, as reported in the media previously, several medical experts have confirmed that there is no evidence of cancer currently and there is no evidence of the recurring of the disease, and therefore the Prime Minister is medically fit to carry out his duties,” it added.
The statement also attached a letter from Dr Lam Kai Seng, a consultant clinical oncologist from Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur on June 12 to attest to this.
It was disclosed in 2018 that Muhyiddin had cancer of the pancreas that required him to undergo several rounds of chemotherapy.
In July the same year, he took medical leave in order to have the tumour removed at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.
He returned to work in August of 2018 and insisted that he was well enough to continue with his duties then as the home minister and the elected representative of Pagoh.
On a report titled “Malaysia’s Criminal Coup Unfurls”, on June 9, Sarawak Report said it had been informed by reliable sources that Muhyiddin broken home quarantine on May 26.
It claimed the PM had travelled to Singapore by private jet “where he remained overnight to receive chemotherapy treatment for the resurgence of his pancreatic cancer”.
