SEMPORNA, Aug 15 — Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin denied today he was conspiring to oust the Barisan Nasional (BN) from Putrajaya, saying he would be “stupid” to wreck the government he helped build.
Muhyiddin was referring to mounting speculations following his unceremonious removal from Cabinet last month, with some rumours claiming he had even been arrested for plotting to topple the government.
“I am not trying to topple the government of which I helped to build. That’s just stupid,” he told a 2,000-strong crowd at the Semporna Umno division meet here.
He told the party delegates that he is still an Umno loyalist and would not sabotage the party by raising questions on the investigations into debt-riddled state investor 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and the brainchild of party president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
“I won’t do what Anwar is doing... I’m not going to topple the government as I’m the deputy party president,” he said, referring to former deputy prime minister-turned-opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who was said to have harboured ambitions to wrest the prime minister’s seat for himself.
Muhyiddin was axed as deputy prime minister in an abrupt Cabinet reshuffle last month, along with four others including Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, ostensibly for their public criticism of 1MDB.
Muhyiddin said that he was only protecting the integrity of the party and had always been loyal to its cause and struggle.
He said that it was imperative that members be loyal to the institution, but never to the point where blind trust is accorded when there is something amiss.
“Loyalty to the institution is a must. Loyalty to leader too, but up to certain extent; not if the leader is wrong,” he said.
“Shafie and I were both removed for voicing the concerns of the grassroots. It is his prerogative but he should respect the position of the vice-president,” the Pagoh MP said, adding that there were still many questions left unanswered over the debt-ridden 1MDB.
Muhyiddin also raised questions into inconsistencies of the 1MDB solution timeframe, pointing out discrepancies from the state investment fund’s own rationalisation plan.
He said that the group’s president Arul Kanda Kandasamy recently said that 1MDB’s debts could be settled in six months under a rationalisation plan but the federal government was told a longer time frame was needed.
“The Cabinet was told it would only be settled in 2016, so now who is telling the truth? Let’s hope that even without the special task force, the authorities can carry out their investigation without interference,” Muhyiddin said.
Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali who replaced Sabah-born Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail as the Attorney-General last month recently announced the government taskforce was no longer necessary as the four agencies involved could pursue their own actions.
The taskforce had included officials from the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Royal Malaysia Police, Bank Negara Malaysia and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
Muhyiddin defended the people’s right to get clarification on the matter even though Najib has said the 1MDB controversy was not a big issue as it did not involve public taxpayers’ money.
“The billions of ringgit used to settle 1MDB’s debts were borrowed from the banks. And this will eventually become the people’s liability,” he said.
Parliament’s bipartisan Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Auditor-General are both conducting their own inquiries into allegations of financial improprieties in 1MDB’s management.
However, the PAC probe is currently suspended till October when Parliament resits, following the promotion of four of its BN members into the Cabinet and as deputy ministers.
Muhyiddin expressed hopes that the investigations would clear up the 1MDB controversy soon as it was furthering the country’s economic woes.
