Malaysia appoints former PM to lead coronavirus recovery council

[September 04, 2021]  KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia has appointed former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin as chairman of a council that will focus on economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, the government chief secretary said on Saturday.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin wearing a protective mask arrives at a mosque for prayers, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Putrajaya, Malaysia August 28, 2020. REUTERS/Lim Huey Teng

The cabinet had on Wednesday agreed to the minister-level appointment for Muhyiddin based on confidence in him to lead a recovery strategy to "achieve the best economic impact and restore the lives of people affected by the pandemic", the chief secretary said in a statement.

Muhyiddin stepped down  in August after losing majority support in parliament.

His premiership received criticism for mishandling the coronavirus pandemic after infections hit record highs despite more than two months of nationwide lockdowns.

(Reporting by Liz Lee; Editing by Robert Birsel)

[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.