KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — The decision to move a vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak would be left to Umno parliamentary whip Tan Sri Shahrir Samad, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.
Muhyiddin was responding to calls by Opposition MPs for him to lead the campaign in Parliament to push for a no-confidence vote against Najib.
The Pagoh MP denied such a motion is going be tabled and that the matter was entirely up to Shahrir to decide.
“I do not know if it (the motion) will be tabled in parliament. It is just hypothetical, we have to wait.
“But as a responsible party member, I will abide by the same decision that has been made by the party whip,” Muhyiddin told reporters at a press conference in his residence today.
The Umno deputy president also rubbished claims that the party elections were postponed to allow Najib to stay in power, stressing that it was standard practice for the party especially close to the national polls.
“This is not new because such postponements have happened in the past before. I has been done during previous elections.
“I hope the party members are not too busy politicking at party level and not focusing on the core issue which is for the party to face the next election and win,” Muhyiddin said.
Yesterday, Najib removed Muhyiddin as deputy prime minister and education minister in a shock Cabinet reshuffle, ostensibly for openly questioning the prime minister’s handling of debt-laden 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
Also axed was Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, allegedly for the same reason.
