Will Muhyiddin go for broke tonight?

(The Star) – Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (pic) seems to be going for broke with his decision to air his grievances at a public rally Monday night.

Some suggest that he also risks being sacked by organising the rally in Kampung Baru to speak on issues that caused the split between him and Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

“He is approaching the edge of the cliff by doing this on the eve of the Umno general assembly,” said Kapar division chief Datuk Faizal Abdullah.

The forum to be held at the Kelab Sultan Sulaiman will also involve Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Umno vice president Datuk Shafie Apdal, who recently made news when he fell into the sea in Sabah’s Semporna, which is his parliamentary constituency.

It will be the first time that the three leaders are appearing together at a ceramah.

Timing is crucial in politics and this is like a last ditch attempt to embarrass Najib before the general assembly and also to send a message to the Umno delegates.

Muhyiddin, who was replaced as Deputy Prime Minister in July, was upset that he was not allowed to address the Umno general assembly starting Thursday. The deputy president normally delivers the policy speech at the joint-opening of the three Umno wings and also makes a winding-up speech at the end of the assembly.

The Kampung Baru rally will also be the first time that Muhyiddin is taking his issues with Najib outside of the usual Umno channels and, if he is not careful, he may face disciplinary action.

There are already voices from the likes of Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz that Muhyiddin should resign from his deputy president post if he is so dissatisfied with Najib’s leadership.

However, some quarters say that far from courting the sack, tonight’s forum may be Muhyiddin’s way of indicating that he will challenge Najib for the Umno presidency in the next Umno election.

If that is the case, he would not go overboard because he would want to hang on to his No 2 post in the party.

He would not want to fall over the edge of the cliff just yet.