Muhyiddin Yassin has poured cold water on DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang’s declaration that the former deputy prime minister is a new recruit to his professed ‘Save Malaysia’ agenda.

Describing Lim’s opinion as a “personal” one, Muhyiddin said his speaking up on the state of the nation is done on his own accord.

“I was never recruited by anyone in standing up for the truth. What I voiced out all this while stems from my own awareness about the fate that is befalling the rakyat and country.

“I understand deeply the rakyat’s concerns about what will happen to Malaysia if several crises as a result of the prime minister’s leadership persists.

“That is why I am voicing out,” he said in a Facebook statement tonight.

Last Saturday, Lim said Muhyiddin was the latest recruit to the ‘Save Malaysia’ agenda after the latter urged Malaysians to unite in order to save the country from becoming a failed state.

This was subsequently picked up by blogs aligned to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, claiming that Muhyiddin, who is still Umno deputy president, was out to topple his own party.

Muhyiddin described this as a “twisted” statement, stressing that the issue is with “the prime minister and not Umno”.

“I believe a large section of the rakyat, regardless of politics, ideology or race, share their concern about the prime minister’s leadership problems which are linked to allegations about his involvement in a number of national financial scandals,” he said.

Muhyiddin was in July last year removed as deputy prime minister for his criticism of Najib’s financial handling including the appearance of RM2.6 billion in his personal bank accounts.

Najib has denied wrongdoing and claimed the money was a political donation.

Attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali has also cleared Najib of wrongdoing but the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is appealing the decision not to prosecute.