Muhyiddin didn’t reshuffle Johor state exco, says senior aide

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 — Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) president Tan Sri Muhyiddin is not responsible for the new Johor state exco line-up, said a senior aide today after the reshuffle sent shockwaves in the party.

In a lengthy Facebook post, Datuk Marzuki Mohamad said several parties which he did not name had accused his superior of making a last-minute U-turn on a decision not to reshuffle the exco.

“Many Bersatu members have contacted me to ask what the real situation is. Although it burdens me to come forward to explain what is an internal party matter, I feel responsible in doing so given the widespread slander against Tan Sri Muhyiddin by irresponsible parties,” he said.

Marzuki listed three points in the post, the first being that the reshuffle was not carried out by Muhyiddin.

“The Mentri Besar of Johor (Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal) met with Tan Sri Muhyiddin on April 20 to seek his advice on forming the new state exco.

“I was present at the meeting where Tan Sri Muhyiddin generally advised him that based on the Johor State Constitution, the mentri besar has the right to advise His Highness the Sultan on the formation of the exco,” he said.

Marzuki said Dr Sahruddin told Muhyiddin that he was seeking an exco team which he felt he could work together with in administering the state government.

“As the mentri besar has the right under the state constitution to inform the palace of the exco-elects, thus Tan Sri Muhyiddin left it up to his discretion,” he said.

The second point Marzuki raised was the fact that Muhyiddin was abroad when the Cabinet decided the Johor state exco cannot be reshuffled, adding that Muhyiddin was not informed of this.

“He was only informed by Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman on Monday, April 22, mere hours before the Bersatu Supreme Council special meeting was held.

“I believe if Tan Sri Muhyiddin knew of this decision from the start, he would have advised the Mentri Besar to heed the decision,” he said.

Marzuki then addressed the claim that Muhyiddin had an audience with Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar on April 21, supposedly to inform His Highness of the names of the Johor state exco members.

“I have said it before, the state exco reshuffle issue arose because Tan Sri Muhyiddin requested an audience with His Highness, since he was unable to submit the mentri besar’s name as he was abroad then.

“It had nothing to do whatsoever with the state exco reshuffle. As a former mentri besar himself, Tan Sri Muhyiddin is clearly aware that it is not within his power to advise His Highness on the formation of the state exco, as that is the prerogative of the incumbent mentri besar,” he said.

The PPBM supreme council had convened an emergency meeting on April 22 hours after the unwelcome reshuffle.

The meeting ended with party leaders giving PPBM chairman and prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad their full backing.

A supreme council member Datuk A. Kadir Jasin had told Malay Mail later that there was a ‘general understanding’ right up to the Cabinet level that there would not be a reshuffle of the state excos.

Dr Sahruddin had introduced three new faces in the state exco — Tosrin Jarvanthi and Mohd Solihan Badri from PPBM and Tan Chen Choon from DAP.