DAP's Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang has called on Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to emulate the example of former leader Hussein Onn and convene an emergency meeting to secure a vote of confidence and establish his legitimacy.

He said this after the parliamentary meeting originally scheduled to meet for a month from March 9 was postponed till May 18. 

Dusting off the history books, Lim recalled how Hussein Onn convened an emergency meeting of Parliament on Jan 26, 1976 - eleven days after his appointment as the third prime minister following the death of his predecessor Abdul Razak.

"It was only after a vote of confidence in him as prime minister was passed by the Dewan Rakyat that Parliament went on with its ordinary business with the annual opening of Parliament fixed for March 30, which had as its first working business the oath-taking ceremony of the then-new MP for Pekan, Najib Abdul Razak," said Lim in a statement today.

The DAP veteran claimed that the postponement has been interpreted as “a sign of weakness” amidst perceptions that Muhyiddin (photo) does not have the majority support of MPs to be the legitimate prime minister.

He went on to question the holding of the Parliament meeting during the puasa (fasting) month.

"This raises eyebrows as it must be the first time in the nation’s history of over six decades that Parliament is meeting during puasa month.

"Why can’t Parliament be convened to end its meeting before the start of puasa month, which is expected to begin on April 25, 2020?" Lim asked.

He said that 44 years ago, there was no doubt or question about the majority support of MPs for Hussein.

"But today, it is very different, as Malaysians, including the fourth and seventh prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, do not believe that Muhyiddin enjoys the majority support of MPs," added Lim.