Less than a month after being made Deputy Prime Minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has received poor grades from Umno activist Shahbudin Husin.

Shahbudin said Zahid's conduct was more of an Umno Youth chief or a press secretary to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, rather than the number two leader in government.

His retort came after Zahid claimed an Umno leader was out to topple the government - and his refusal to name the person, thereby fuelling suspicions among Umno ranks.

Cheras Umno division chief Syed Ali Alhabshee had complained that the allegation led Umno leaders and grassroots to accuse one another of conspiracy .

As many as 25 Umno MPs were also forced to deny being part of the plot after they were named in a blog, one day after Zahid’s claim, as among the representatives ready to join forces with opposition MPs to oust Najib.

"At first many were proud when Zahid was appointed as deputy prime minister, for he is the first Perak leader appointed to the position.

"Furthermore, with Najib's weak position and problems, there are some who dream and pray that Zahid may finally become the next prime minister.

"But in less than a month, there are now those who are ashamed he is from Perak.

"Zahid's failure to position himself as deputy prime minister and thinks as if he is still Umno Youth chief or Najib's political secretary, have made many disappointed," Shahbudin ( photo ) said.

After failing to disclose the alleged Umno plotter, Shahbudin pointed out, Zahid's claim that the plotter would meet Najib also did not materialise.

"After failing to reveal who the alleged leader is and the claimed meeting with Najib also did not materialise, Zahid then said all information has been passed to the police and attorney-general for action.

"Why is he hiding behind the police and attorney-general?" he asked.

Shahbudin said defections by party members and a vote of no confidence against the prime minister, be it through Parliament or the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, is a political matter and does not concern the police.

"Less than a month after becoming deputy prime minister and merely on the issue of a vote of no confidence, his (Zahid’s) shallowness has become apparent and many now see Zahid only presenting himself as ‘a storyteller'," he added.

Zahid was appointed deputy prime minister on July 28, replacing Muhyiddin Yassin, who has been critical of Najib's handling of the 1MDB scandal.