“Stop playing politics and start walking the talk,” Muhyiddin (PN-Pagoh) said during the debate on the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat.

“Even if (she) is not paid a salary, this appointment is a conflict of interest and reeks of nepotism.”

Although the Bersatu president did not specifically name Anwar or his daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar, he was understood to be referring specifically to them.

Nurul Izzah was appointed the prime minister’s senior adviser on economics and finance, but quit her post on Feb 12 after it drew backlash from several quarters.

She then announced that she will co-chair a secretariat formed by the advisory panel to the finance ministry at the invitation of its chairman, Hassan Marican.

Muhyiddin said the appointment had nothing to do with the needs of the people at this moment in time.

“The people do not want to see the children of ministers and the prime minister holding positions in government. They want to see the ministers and prime minister work for the people,” he said.

He also said the government should give more attention to developing the economy and the welfare of the people.

“That is the core duty of the government. Listen to the voices of the people who are in need of help.

“For example, why can’t the government consider a targeted withdrawal from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) if that is what the people desire to lessen their burden?”

Muhyiddin also called for a moratorium on loan repayments as banks had made profits even while the country was facing the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Why can’t the banks also help lessen the burden of the people by introducing a targeted moratorium for a period of time to overcome the effects of inflation and the hike in the overnight policy rate?” he said.

Separately, Muhyiddin said his son-in-law had nothing to do with the National Integrated Immigration System (NIISe).

“That is a lie and slander,” he said when commenting on reports claiming that a lucrative government contract had been awarded to a company linked to his son-in-law.