Government retirees also bound by OSA – Muhyiddin

(Bernama) — Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today he would let the people evaluate themselves the action of several government retirees who have reportedly joined opposition political parties.

He said it was the personal choice of the retirees but added that they should understand that while in the service of the government, they had been with the government in implementing its policies.

“If they had any dissatisfaction, it would not have to be that they have to leave (the government side) just because of one or two matters which may have caused the dissatisfaction,” he said.

Muhyiddin was asked to comment on reports on several retired high-level civil servants joining opposition political parties, among them former Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Fauzi Shaari.

The deputy prime minister had earlier launched the Federal Territory Barisan Nasional (BN) election machinery.

Replying to a question, he said retired civil servants were also bound by the Official Secrets Act which prohibited the exposing of government secrets.

To another question, Muhyiddin said PAS chose to hold the “Himpunan Hijau ke Putrajaya” (Green Rally to Putrajaya) in Alor Setar, Kedah, because support for the party was waning in the state.