INTERVIEW The sacking of Muhyiddin Yassin from the deputy prime minister's post could not be accepted by the Umno grassroots as it was seen as an unwise move, said an Umno branch chief.

Pusat Bandar Taman Cempaka Umno branch chief Syed Saifuddin Syed Harman said the decision to sack Muhyiddin was seen as something that would only divide the party.

He nevertheless admitted that no one could question the move as it was Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's ( photo ) prerogative to do so.

"We could not accept it, at the grassroots level. But that is the prime minister's prerogative, so we cannot question it as it is within his powers as prime minister.

"But we at the grassroots level feel that it was an unwise move as it will break Umno itself. As a party member and branch leader, I don't see it as a wise move.

"It's not the right move to improve the (current) situation," he said, in an interview with Malaysiakini .

Asked whether the grassroots' stand was in line with the divisions in Umno, Syed Saifuddin said the divisions had no choice but to support whatever that is demanded for by the party.

Not a healthy thing to have in party

Admitting that it was the current reality in today's politics, Syed Saifuddin ( photo ) however said that this was not a healthy thing to have in a party.

"The divisions have to make a stand in supporting whatever that is wanted by the leaders, it is the same for the branches.

"Like it or not, we have to (support). That's why if we have 192 Umno divisions in Malaysia, maybe 90 percent must make a decision to conform. There might be those who truly support, and there might be those who have to do it because they are forced to.

"But if we agree on something that can harm the party, that is not a good thing," he said.

Meanwhile, asked on who was the most worthy candidate to change the current leadership, the Umno branch leader said currently this is not the main issue.

Syed Saifuddin explained that the party needed leaders who love the party for the sake of the future and not for their own personal interests.

He also advised all grassroots leaders to be brave in "fixing" the party.

"We are not making changes because we don't love the party. I think all those people who are against the leadership love the party, especially (former premier) Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He loves the party," he said.