Muhyiddin retains power in Umno for now
(Straits Times) – The meeting’s postponement “shows Najib is beginning to realise that the removal of Muhyiddin and Shafie has impact in Umno and he has not figured it out completely”
Prime Minister Najib Razak has weakened but not totally cut off the ability of his former deputy Muhyiddin Yassin to organise political activities by sacking him from the post of deputy prime minister on Tuesday.
This is because Tan Sri Muhyiddin has retained his position in the ruling Umno as deputy president, which gives him a powerful political platform to move around the country to meet the party’s 3.4 million members.
The United Malays National Organisation (Umno) yesterday cancelled a much-anticipated meeting of its decision-making supreme council that was to take place tomorrow, heading off a potential showdown between Datuk Seri Najib and Mr Muhyiddin.
Mr Muhyiddin’s surprise sacking on Tuesday had stoked wide media speculation that Mr Najib would expel him from Umno at the supreme council meeting to deprive his former No.2 in government of influence in the party. But the council meeting has been cancelled.
The Star and other online media cited a letter to supreme council members by Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor announcing the cancellation but not giving an explanation.
“Speculation of the council meeting’s cancellation blew strongly from last night following a growing voice from the Umno grassroots that is protesting against the ouster of the No.2 in government,” said blogger Firdaus Abdullah in his ApaNama blog.
Tourism Minister Nazri Aziz said yesterday that speculation that Mr Muhyiddin would be sacked from his deputy president’s post was incorrect.
“Nothing can be done unless Muhyiddin resigns… He cannot be sacked as he was elected by the (party) delegates,” Datuk Seri Nazri told The Star Online.
“If he doesn’t leave, there is a likelihood that Zahid will go after him,” he added, referring to newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
