Muhyiddin won’t dare reveal names of 115 MPs, says ex-Umno treasurer

Salleh Said Keruak says revealing the names could harm the PN chairman’s credibility if some MPs deny supporting him for prime minister in 2022.

(FMT) – A former Umno treasurer has contended that Muhyiddin Yassin is unlikely to name the 115 MPs who supposedly backed him to become prime minister in 2022, as he might damage his credibility if some MPs refuse to confirm their support.

Salleh Said Keruak said if Muhyiddin loses credibility, Perikatan Nasional might remove him from his position as chairman and replace him with a leader deemed more credible and capable.

“I am confident that Muhyiddin will not disclose the names of all 115 MPs as challenged by (Umno Supreme Council member) Puad Zarkashi,” Salleh said in a Facebook post today.

“This is because he does not have that much support and is merely making his own assumptions.”

Muhyiddin courted controversy when he recently questioned why he was not invited by the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, to become the prime minister after the 2022 general election.

He said he had obtained a majority, and had the backing of enough MPs to form the government.

He made these remarks in a speech during the Nenggiri by-election campaign.

His remarks led to a number of police reports lodged against him and a rebuke by the Pahang crown prince, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah, who said Muhyiddin had deliberately disparaged Sultan Abdullah.

In response to the Bersatu president’s claim that his controversial statement was factual, Puad challenged Muhyiddin to disclose the list of MPs who supposedly supported his prime ministerial bid.

Muhyiddin had been expected to have his statement recorded by the police today following 29 reports lodged by various parties concerning his speech.

However, Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain said it will be recorded tomorrow instead, as Muhyiddin’s lawyer is out of the country.