Umno must not set Muhyiddin aside, says S'gor youth chief
Selangor Umno Youth chief Zainuri Zainal believes it would not be proper to simply set aside former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin as he is still the deputy president of Umno.
“You can’t just disregard him like that. Even though he is no longer the deputy prime minister, he is still the number two man in Umno and he must be respected,” he said, as quoted by Malay daily Sinar Harian .
Zainuri was commenting on speculation that Muhyiddin would be prevented from officiating at the meetings of the party’s wings during the Umno annual general meeting in December.
The Umno Youth leader, however, dismissed this as a mere rumour.
“Such decisions will be made during the Umno supreme council meeting; they are not discussed in coffeeshops.
“There has never been an Umno wing meeting which was officiated by other than the Umno deputy president. But as youth leaders, we would abide by the Umno supreme council’s decision," he said.
He, however, reminded Umno members to respect the former deputy prime minister, not only because of his post, but also his seniority, having contributed to the party for 35 years.
“We should not take heed of rumours which are only trying to pit us against each other.
“Furthermore, the current trend to jump parties also pits people against each other; that’s why the political scene is in chaos now," he said.
Apart from Zainuri, Umno supreme council members Mustapa Mohamed and Mukhriz Mahathir ( photo ) have also denied the speculation that Muhyiddin would be prevented from officiating at the meetings of the party’s wings.
Muhyiddin was sacked in July after he became increasingly vocal of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s handling of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd crisis.
Najib, in rationalising Muhyiddin’s sacking, had said that the latter should not air differences openly as it is against the concept of collective responsibility.
For more news and views that matter, subscribe and support independent media for only RM0.36 sen a day:
Subscribe now