KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 — It may be a break from tradition to have Umno’s wing chiefs open their respective assemblies but the honour of officiating these events is not the personal right of the party’s deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Sabah leader Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak said.

Instead, Salleh Said said opening the assemblies is merely a “privilege” traditionally bestowed upon the deputy president but such privileges can be revoked if they are used improperly.

“The tradition of the deputy president declaring the opening of the meeting of the wings is just that, a tradition,” the Umno supreme council member wrote on his blog.

“It is merely a privilege given to the deputy. It is not a right. And while rights cannot be taken away from someone, privileges need to be earned. And privileges can be lost if they are abused,” he added.

Muhyiddin had on Wednesday the Umno supreme council’s decision to bar him from speaking at the opening of the Umno wings at the general assembly next month, noting that he had officiated previous assemblies as deputy president for the past six years.

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said, however, that it was the wing heads who requested to officiate their assemblies.

He also denied that the move was aimed at silencing Muhyiddin.

Salleh Said said today attempts to bring down Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also prime minister, through false allegations that could lead to Umno losing the next general election was not in line with party tradition either.

“If we wish to talk about maintaining party tradition and not breaking away from party tradition then we have to look at it in total and not take it piecemeal based on what suits us,” he said.

Muhyiddin and Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal were removed from the federal Cabinet in July, ostensibly for questioning Najib’s handling of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) issue.