Dr M the reason why Muhyiddin didn’t become PM
Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was more taken up by personality and charisma and opted for Anwar Ibrahim and Najib Abdul Razak
(Free Malaysia Today) – A former Information Minister, taking to his blog, let out that Umno Deputy President and sacked Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin wasn’t chosen as the Prime Minister because former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was more taken up by personality and charisma.
“That’s his (Mahathir’s) weakness,” said Zainuddin Maidin who was also a former Editor-in-Chief of Utusan Malaysia before he entered politics. “That’s how he chose Anwar Ibrahim and Najib Abdul Razak.”
“Mahathir, in choosing Abdullah Badawi, underestimated his aspirations because of his religiosity.”
Muhyiddin, as a Johorean, said Zainuddin, didn’t change his bureaucratic approach. “He was not charismatic, does not become close to anyone that easily, but was a no nonsense leader, with a strong religious background, firm, will not act based on mere allegations, instigation, prejudice or weak grounds.”
Zainuddin, who said that he knew Muhyiddin from the days when he was Johor Menteri Besar but was not close to him when he was Minister, was commenting on him in conjunction with his (Muhyiddin’s) visit to Zam Newsroom Café at Ayer@8Putrajaya on Monday night.
“Muhyiddin looked trim having lost some weight, was fresh, and appeared cheerful like a person who had no worries,” said Zainuddin. “From our discussion, I gathered that he expects the Umno General Assembly next month to run its usual course, in keeping with tradition, and based on the grassroots democracy in a party which has long respected the wishes and aspirations of the people and the Rulers.”
Zainuddin recalled that when Badawi was chosen as Prime Minister, Muhyiddin said, “this is as far as I go”, compared with Najib who pointed out that he had more votes when he suggested that he make way for Badawi to become Prime Minister first.
