COMMENT Flashing a broad smile while holding a placard expressing support for Najib Abdul Razak at the meeting between the prime minister and Umno division chiefs, it can be concluded that Home Minister Ahmad Zahidi Hamidi is one of those in the cabinet who endorsed 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

 

Sources claimed that the prime minister’s cousin, Hishammuddin Hussein, was among those who gave the thumbs-up.

 

Apart from a handful of ministers who have come out to somewhat defend the troubled government-owned company and Najib, the rest chose to maintain a wall of silence.

 

As for ministers from the component parties, MCA and MIC’s cabinet reps have been silent. The latter, however, perhaps being more preoccupied with the ongoing internal crisis.

 

On the Umno front, those who have gone on record regarding the matter include Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who went to the extent of describing critics as mentally deranged, Khairy Jamaluddin and Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

 

Unable to ignore the damning revelations, the prime minister ordered the auditor-general to number crunch the ailing firm.

 

According to Umno division leaders, Najib also assured that once this is done and the Public Accounts Committee combs through the findings, action would be taken if there are elements of wrongdoing.

 

There would be no cover-up, he had pledged.

 

It was also claimed that the cabinet was satisfied that 1MDB had not committed any wrongdoing.

 

Not on the same page

 

And then came a thunderbolt in the form of Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s media statement , which appeared to contradict his boss though the number two denied this.

 

It is rare for Muhyiddin ( right ) to issue a press statement.

 

Among others, he wanted the 1MDB board of directors to explain some of the firm’s transactions, which indicated that he might not be on the same page with other members of the cabinet.

 

His absence from the meeting with Umno chiefs also set tongues wagging despite attempts to downplay it.

 

Another notable absentee was Mukhriz Mahathir, the son of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is a staunch critic of 1MDB and speculated to be pulling the strings to oust Najib.

 

In Umno, smiles often conceal the daggers.

 

During the height of the infighting between Mahathir and his then heir-apparent Anwar Ibrahim, the pair had till the eleventh hour denied any friction between them.

 

Fireworks may yet light up the 1Malaysia sky in this ongoing political drama.