.JPG "Minister of Home Affairs Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin speaks to reporters in Putrajaya after naming the royal inquiry panel which will probe the mass graves and human trafficking in Wang Kelian on March 5, 2019. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Miera Zulyana")
KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 — Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was once offered the position of prime minister by an influential individual, his special functions officer Marzuki Mohamad revealed today.
Marzuki said many members of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) felt the Home Minister was qualified to assume the position and had also approached the latter for his stand on it.
“I recall back in the early days when Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders were about to name Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as a candidate for the prime minister post, Bersatu had yet to make an official stand on it,” Marzuki posted on his official Facebook page.
“Members of Bersatu asked me how Muhyiddin felt about being named as a candidate as they felt, he too was qualified to be the next prime minister.
“As we were in the midst of forming the government after May 9, an influential individual offered the prime minister’s position to Muhyiddin but he turned it down out of respect and also because of a promise made, to make Dr Mahathir the prime minister if PH won,” the post read.
Marzuki’s post was in response to former PAS man Tamrin Abdul Ghafar, who wrote an article entitled “Jika Tak Nak Bantu Jangan Jadi Hantu” which translates to “If You Don’t Want To Help Don’t Be a Ghost.”
Marzuki claims the article portrayed Muhyiddin as power hungry and trying to hinder Mahathir from becoming the next prime minister.
He however insisted that Muhyiddin was the first person to tell Bersatu supreme council members to name Dr Mahathir as their official candidate for the prime minister position.
“I don’t recall when Tamrin was in Bersatu. Maybe because he wasn’t in it.. he doesn’t know its real history,” Marzuki wrote.
“It was Muhyiddin who insisted and was firm about Dr Mahathir being selected as the candidate for prime minister.
“So let’s stop wasting time with these political games. Give the party leaders their time and space to focus on defending the people because that is the real reason the people chose PH as their government,” he said.
