Decision on Murugiah after ROS probe

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will wait for the Registrar of Societies to complete its probe into PPP's current internal problems before deciding whether to keep ex-PPP member T Murugiah as a deputy minister.

"Whatever it is, I will be guided by the position of the ROS," he told reporters in PWTC, Kuala Lumpur after officiating the 56th PPP annual general assembly.

Murugiah's faction is locked in a battle for control over the party presidency against M Kayveas, who has headed the party since 1993.

About a dozen complaints against Kayveas has been lodged by Murugiah's faction with the ROS.

Najib said that should the ROS side with Kayveas, he would also take the PPP president's views into account with regards to the post currently held by Murugiah.

In June last year, Murugiah was appointed deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department and now heads the Public Complaints Bureau.

In an apparent move to appear neutral in the PPP dispute, Najib said the appointment of deputy ministers are his sole prerogative and that Murugiah had been loyal to BN.

"He is not somebody who is against BN. He is very supportive of BN, its policies and leadership," he said.

Don't understand ‘unity government'

On another matter, when asked on PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's renewed calls for a 'unity government', Najib said he appreciated the suggestion but wants it to be better articulated.

"I thank Hadi for bringing up issue of unity government. I don't understand what it implies, but I'm open to this. It is up to Hadi to illustrate what he means," he said.

He added that any steps towards the 'unity government' cannot be decided by him alone.

"It is a big decision that must be decided by BN and Umno leadership," he said.

Abdul Hadi caused a stir on Friday after he claimed during his speech as the PAS muktamar in Shah Alam that Pakatan Rakyat allies DAP and PKR reacted positively to his suggestions for a ‘unity government' with Umno.

Both DAP and PKR have denied this .