KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 — Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin tonight denied that he was Lim Kit Siang’s newest recruit to “save Malaysia”, saying the claim made by the DAP veteran was the latter’s personal opinion.
The Umno deputy president also denied ever plotting to topple his own party and said his battle was not against the party but the leadership of the current prime minister.
“I have never been recruited by anyone to uphold the truth. What I have been voicing out all this time was born of my own awareness about the plight of the people and the nation.
“I have also never issued any statement on plans to topple Umno as suggested by some portals following Lim Kit Siang’s statement. The main issue here is about the prime minister’s leadership, not Umno,” he said in a Facebook posting.
Muhyiddin added that he empathises with Malaysians and that he believes his feelings about the problems faced by the administration, particularly about the allegations of impropriety against the prime minister, are shared by many across all political, ideological and racial boundaries.
“And that is why I decided to speak out,” he said.
Last weekend in a speech at a Chinese New Year dinner in Johor, Lim reportedly called Muhyiddin his latest recruit in his “Save Malaysia” campaign.
According to a copy of the DAP adviser’s speech sent to the media, Lim cited Muhyiddin’s remarks at a recent Chinese New Year gathering in Pagoh, noting that the Umno number two had called on Malaysians to unite to stop Malaysia from becoming a failed state.
Muhyiddin was last year removed from his post as deputy prime minister in a federal Cabinet reshuffle, ostensibly over his criticism of the administration’s handling of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) controversy.
He was later barred from addressing delegates at the recent 69th Umno general assembly, despite having done so throughout his tenure as Umno deputy president.
