Muhyiddin was kicked out of Umno, he did not resign
Semangat 46, PKR and Bersatu all took the same route, and it was Umno who was the aggressor in all three incidences. Umno kicked Ku Li, Anwar and Muhyiddin out for opposing the party president. But in Muhyiddin’s case he opposed Najib to save Umno from getting wiped out in GE14, which was what happened. So how can trying to save Umno be an act of treachery?
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
(The Straits Times, 24 June 2016) – Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Friday (June 24) sacked his former deputy from the ruling party, and said he needed more time to think about a possible Cabinet reshuffle. A vice-president of the party was also suspended, according to the media.
Former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin was sacked from Umno, along with Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, the son of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.
Datuk Seri Najib said the unanimous decision, by the Supreme Council, was taken as the duo had shared the same stage with the opposition.
Both have been tough critics of Datuk Seri Najib, calling for his resignation following allegations of graft and mismanagement at scandal-hit state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
******************************************************************************
Muhyiddin Yassin is being accused of treachery for forming a new party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), to oppose Umno, which is the main reason for Umno-Barisan Nasional getting ousted in GE14 in May 2018.
This reminds me of the old debate: did Tunku Abdul Rahman kick Singapore out of Malaysia or did Lee Kuan Yew pull Singapore out of Malaysia?
For the benefit of the “Melayu Mudah Lupa” Malays, allow me to recap the events leading to the formation of Bersatu.
In February 2015, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad held a series of meetings with various people in London (which included Azmin Ali followed by me six days later). The gist of the meeting was what to do about prime minister Najib Tun Razak and the 1MDB scandal — which threatened to hurt Umno-Barisan Nasional in GE14 (whenever it may be).
To cut a long story short, the plan was to remove Najib whereby Muhyiddin would take over as the new prime minister. If Najib refuses to resign he would be arrested for the 1MDB grand theft.
Najib then retaliated by sacking the AG, MACC Chief, Special Branch number 1 and 2, and so on. Muhyiddin was then removed as the deputy prime minister and replaced with Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. A number of people were also arrested.
About a year later, Muhyiddin was sacked from Umno.
Seven months after being sacked from Umno, Muhyiddin formed Bersatu — which was on 14th January 2017. At that time he was no longer an Umno member.
Mahathir expected Umno-Barisan Nasional to lose GE14. Whether Pakatan Harapan (DAP, PKR and Amanah) on their own could have won GE14 without Mahathir’s and Bersatu’s help will never be known.
Hence whether Umno-Barisan Nasional lost GE14 purely because of the 1MDB scandal, or because Muhyiddin’s new party, Bersatu, helped Pakatan Harapan win is like speculating whether WWII would have happened had Churchill instead of Chamberlain been the British prime minister.
Just for the record, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (Ku Li) and Anwar Ibrahim were also sacked from Umno, and they formed their new parties, Semangat 46 and Parti Keadilan Nasional (now PKR) after that. And both Semangat 46 and PKR also formed an alliance with DAP and PAS, just like Bersatu in GE14.
Semangat 46, PKR and Bersatu all took the same route, and it was Umno who was the aggressor in all three incidences. Umno kicked Ku Li, Anwar and Muhyiddin out for opposing the party president. But in Muhyiddin’s case he opposed Najib to save Umno from getting wiped out in GE14, which was what happened. So how can trying to save Umno be an act of treachery?
