Will more fireworks break out as sacked deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin heads back to his home state of Johor to officiate delegates' meetings of Umno divisions there?

Two divisions outside the state - Raub and Sungai Besar - had retracted their invitations to Muhyiddin, who is Umno deputy president, to open their annual meetings, following his removal from the cabinet for his comments on the 1MDB controversy. 

Sungai Besar Umno division chief Jamal Md Yunos was quoted by the SuaraTV portal as saying he was afraid Muhyiddin would repeat the same things he had said at the Cheras Umno AGM last Sunday.

Fears have been expressed that Muhyiddin’s statements on the 1MDB fiasco could lead to Umno’s defeat in the next general election. He also said that Najib ignored his advice to step down as 1MDB advisory board chairperson.

Muhyiddin has served six years as deputy prime minister.

His latest claim - caught on video - that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak admitted to him that the RM2.6 billion in his personal banks accounts came from someone in the Middle East has also raised a lot of heat against Najib.

However, Muhyiddin is likely enjoying a warm welcome in his political base, Johor.

A schedule sighted by Malaysiakini shows that Muhyiddin will be officiating the AGMs of the Kluang, Pagoh, and Pontian Umno divisions in August.

This is despite Kluang Umno chief Md Jais Sarday declining to confirm or deny that Muhyiddin would open the divisional annual meeting, which will be held on Sunday.

“You will know this coming Sunday. Never mind. The political development is changing every day, isn’t it?” Md Jais told Malaysiakini when asked to confirm whether Muhyiddin would officiate at the division’s AGM.

Muhyiddin, who is a seven-term Pagoh MP, will head back to his home base to officiate the Pagoh Umno division meeting on Aug 8.

Pontian Umno chief confirms Muhyiddin’s date

Unperturbed about the current political scenario, Pontian Umno division is not pulling back its invitation to Muhyiddin.

Its division chief Hasni Mohammad confirmed the invite to Muhyiddin still stands via SMS, when contacted by Malaysiakini .

“Pontian’s (meeting) is on Aug 15. Our deputy president Muhyiddin will open the meeting at 10am,” Hasni said.

Interestingly, Ahmad Maslan, who is seen as backing Najib, is the local MP there and the deputy division chief.

After Muhyiddin was sacked from his position, Johor Umno chief and Menteri Besar Khaled Nordin ( photo ) urged the party members to calm down .

Khaled said Muhyiddin could proceed to officiate divisional meetings in the state.

“In Johor, I have no objections for any (Umno) division that wishes to invite him to officiate their annual general assembly,” he said.

According to Sin Chew Daily today, Kedah Umno chief and Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir said he has, via WhatsApp, instructed all state divisions to stick to their original invitations to leaders to officiate their AGMs.

“The invitations for officiating are based on the party posts, not cabinet posts,” Mukhriz said.

He said that despite party vice-president Shafie Apdal being dropped from the cabinet, Shafie would still officiate the Jerlun Umno division meeting.

Mukhriz, the former Jerlun MP, is currently assemblyperson for Ayer Hitam, a state constituency located in Jerlun.

Following the sudden cancellation of the Umno supreme council meeting scheduled for today, all eyes are on Johor, to keep watch on what more bombshells could come from Muhyiddin.

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