Zaid: Did Muhyiddin discuss takeover as PM in ‘secret’ Milan meeting?

(Malay Mail Online) – Former minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim claimed today to have information from an Umno source that a covert meeting was held in Milan, Italy, between Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and several party bigwigs to discuss his possible takeover as prime minister.

Zaid admitted, however, that the information was unverified and that he did not have intimate details of the alleged meeting, which he said had purportedly involved former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz and International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

“Umno president and Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Razak is about to be replaced by his enemies in the party,” Zaid warned in his latest blog post.

He went on to explain that he was spending his weekend in Hokkaido, Japan, when an “Umno source” contacted him to claim of the meeting in Italy where a discussion was held on “handing over the premiership to Muhyiddin”.

“I don’t know if this meeting will ultimately result in Najib being replaced, but I just don’t approve of this kind of surreptitious move to replace elected leaders.

“I don’t know how reliable my source is, but I hope this is not part of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s plan to change the leadership,” Zaid said.

Dr Mahathir, the country’s longest serving former prime minister, has been leading the ongoing attacks against Najib’s leadership, even saying recently that the prime minister should resign before Barisan Nasional (BN) loses the next general election.

Chief among Dr Mahathir’s concerns is the leadership’s handling of allegations surrounding 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), the state-owned investment firm that has amassed a debt pile worth over RM42 billion in just a few years.

Although Najib has ordered a federal audit on the 1MDB, the latest controversy that emerged earlier this week on the firm’s land deal with Lembaga Tabung Haji (LTH) has led to top leaders in his party coming forward to publicly express concern.

On Friday, Muhyiddin chimed in from his working visit in Milan, Italy, and said that Putrajaya must be proactive over the attacks against 1MDB and not merely react to the criticism against the state-owned firm.

But despite the relentless attacks on Najib, Zaid said the prime minister should only be replaced via a legitimate process — either by way of a leadership change in Umno, or through a vote of no confidence in Parliament.

“There is no other legitimate way,” he said.

Those with accusations against the prime minister should also voice their claims in Parliament and put the matter to a vote, he added.

“A secret meeting in Milan is not the democratic way,” Zaid insisted.

He continued to make his case for the appointment of Umno veteran and Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah as the country’s new prime minister, insisting that there currently is no better leader in the party able to take on the job.

“…. I believe he is an honest leader. He is not corrupt and he will stem systemic corruption in the country. No one currently in the top echelon of Umno even comes close to him,” Zaid said.

“Anyway, Tengku Razaleigh will not jail you for sedition if you ask questions and protest peacefully about the GST. In fact, I believe he will compel members of the Cabinet, including himself, to disclose their wealth to the public.

“We won’t find any other leader alive today who is willing to do this,” he added, before urging Dr Mahathir and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders to back his suggestion.