Lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah is in demand as a speaker because he is a "smart" man and Umno has no problem with it, deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin says.

"Shafee is smart. He has more expertise than all of us. If there is anyone who wants to invite him (for the roadshows), it is up to him to accept or not," Muhyiddin ( left ) told reporters in Putrajaya today.

Shafee has gone on several speaking engagements recently on his role as the lead prosecutor in the Sodomy II trial.

In one instance, Shafee narrated lurid details   from in-camera testimony given by Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who accused opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim of sodomising him.

Asked to respond to a Malaysiakini report that some Umno leaders are upset with the roadshows and concerned that it might backfire on the ruling party, Muhyiddin  replied in the negative.

Stressing that there were more important matters to discuss that this, Muhyiddin said it was Shafee’s right to go ahead with the roadshows and give his explanation.

"He can explain because he is qualified. Why do we need to worry?" Muhyiddin asserted.

Malaysiakini yesterday reported that an Umno leader unhappy with Shafee's roadshows said these would backfire on the party.

The leader said the talks are organised by non-governmental organisation Bona Fide Friends (BFF), led by deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department Razali Ibrahim.

Shafee has given two talks on the Sodomy II trial, the first organised by Umno Youth and the other by pro-Umno NGO Kelab Warisan Mutiara Pulau Pinang.

The first was an open forum that was also streamed live online while the second talk was a closed door affair.