KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 23 — Umno leaders like Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir and former deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin should stop crossing swords with the prime minister, an Umno division chief said today.
Kepong Umno division chief Datuk Rizuan Abdul Hamid urged Mukhriz not to bite the hand that feeds, pointing out that it was Datuk Seri Najib Razak who had appointed him Kedah mentri besar.
“His appointment as the mentri besar in Kedah was by Datuk Seri Najib, doesn’t he know that?
“He has really slammed (hentam) Datuk Seri Najib. If it were me I’d be ashamed and I would have resigned because I was chosen by that person but I turn around and criticise that same person,” he said, claiming that the MB had repeatedly questioned Najib over 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and the RM2.6 billion donation.
Rizuan also asked Muhyiddin to stay home and reflect on his being dropped from the Cabinet instead of going to division meetings to rehash the issue of 1MDB and the political donation.
“Already he was sacked, he should sit at home and reflect, ‘Why was I sacked? What happened to me?’
“But not for him, the more he was fired, the more fired up (garang) he became. He goes to all division meetings and questions about the RM2.6 billion,” he said, referring to the Umno deputy president.
He also claimed Najib had already personally met with Muhyiddin to discuss the issue of 1MDB and the political donation, making it unwarranted for the leader to raise the issue.
“Didn’t Najib meet with him and discuss this RM2.6 billion? And they agreed to defend Umno and Najib together? But why is this person going here and there to criticise and talk about 1MDB and the political donation?” he said.
Najib had abruptly booted Muhyiddin from the government in a hastily-convened news conference in Putrajaya last month, announcing Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as his replacement in the post of deputy prime minister.
