Dont jeopardise transition process, Muhyiddin tells Umno members

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Umno members must refrain from speculation and making their own plans in order not to disrupt the leadership transition process, said party vice-president Muhyiddin Yassin today.

"What needs to be focused is that the team spirit in Umno should be maintained," he was quoted as saying by Bernama .

Muhyiddin, who is also domestic trade and consumer affairs minister, said there should be no effort or action to jeopardise the process.

"In this matter, we should ensure that the strength and solidarity of Umno as well as the existing close cooperation among the top leadership, even among the vice-presidents, would be maintained," he told a press conference in Batu Pahat, Johor.

"No one should try to create a situation which can jeopardise party solidarity...like making speculation and plans that would benefit certain individuals, because the president's message is clear, that is to ensure the party's strength," he said.

No teams

In a speech earlier, Muhyiddin dismissed the notion that factions existed in the party.

He said there were no "Team A, B or C" but what existed was the "Umno team" which steadfastly upholds the party's principles.

The vice-president also denied that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is also Umno president, was pressured to step down or that there were groups out to unseat him.

One June 22, Mahathir stunned the nation when he suddenly announced his decision to quit from all his posts with immediate effect.

However, the 76-year-old premier was later coaxed into remaining in power until next October before handing over the reigns to his deputy, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Mahathir, who is currently in Thailand on an official visit, had also hinted on the possibility of another Umno vice-president, Najib Tun Razak, becoming Abdullah's deputy.

Najib, who is also the defence minister, is the son of Malaysia's second prime minister the late Tun Abdul Razak.



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