Muhyiddin stepped up to save Malaysia after you quit as PM, Shahidan Kassim tells Dr Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 — Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was not a “traitor” but rather a “saviour” who emerged after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad resigned as the prime minister to trigger a political crisis in Malaysia, said Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim

Once a loyalist of Dr Mahathir, the Arau MP told the former prime minister to stop considering Muhyiddin’s action as treachery.

Shahidan also presented in Parliament today his version of the so-called “Sheraton Move” on February 23, which was seen as the beginning of the Pakatan Harapan government’s collapse.

“That night at Sheraton, we were only called to have dinner. We didn’t even know who was organising it,” he said.

“The PH government collapsed when Langkawi (Dr Mahathir) resigned and Bersatu agreed to leave PH because they didn’t want to be with the DAP.

“So, in the end, after Langkawi resigned, Pagoh (Muhyiddin) became the saviour. Langkawi should accept that,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.

Shahidan, who was interjecting during Datuk Hasbullah Osman’s (BN-Gerik) debate on the Covid-19 Bill, also accused Dr Mahathir of lying in his insistence that he would not work with Umno due to its corruption.

He said Dr Mahathir met with Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to moot a “unity government” when Dr Mahathir was the interim PM.

“We are disappointed when he (Dr Mahathir) said he would not collaborate with Umno.

“Langkawi called the Umno president five times — three in his home and two at his office — to discuss the unity government.

“If he did not want to collaborate, why did he discuss it with the Umno president?” he said.

Later, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (BN – Kinabatangan) pressed Dr Mahathir to clarify what he meant with the term “traitor”.

Dr Mahathir explained that he meant Muhyiddin and Bersatu both betrayed the party’s original aims by collaborating with the rival Umno.

“Those who collaborate with the enemy are called traitors,” he said.

This led to a commotion that forced Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Azalina Othman to interject and direct the lawmakers back to the topic at hand.

“This is not a debate on ‘traitors’ Bill,” she said.