Friday, February 26, 2016

Umno leaders to discuss Muhyiddin’s possible suspension today

Umno's highest decision making body, the Supreme Council, is meeting now and on the agenda is whether it will suspend deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for his criticism of party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Chances of a move to suspend Umno's number two have increased after several supreme council members publicly supported Muhyiddin's removal from the post, a party source said. There are two scenarios: the former deputy prime minister is suspended from the party post but remains a member, and suspension of his party membership. The source said Najib, who is also prime minister, held a high-powered meeting with Supreme Council members in Putrajaya yesterday morning  to discuss preparations to mount a motion of suspension. "Najib had called a closed door meeting at Putrajaya with supreme council members. The secretary-general (Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor) and the executive secretary Datuk Ab Rauf Yusoh were also present. "The meeting was called to discuss the process of suspending Muhyiddin as a deputy president while keeping him on as a ordinary member," another source told The Malaysian Insider. Padang Rengas MP Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz is expected to table the motion to suspend Muhyiddin at the official supreme council meeting. His motion is expected to be seconded by another member Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. Both leaders in the last few days have openly called for action against Muhyiddin for failing to support the president. Since being removed from the cabinet in July last year, Muhyiddin has continued to criticise Najib over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal and the RM2.6 billion donation that went to his personal bank accounts. Yesterday, Nazri (pic) confirmed that he would table a motion to suspend Muhyiddin. In a separate statement, Azalina also said she supported the motion. The motion will have to be agreed upon by a majority of the 25 elected members who have voting rights in the council if it is to be passed. Another source said the Umno headquarters has also surveyed the opinions of the party's divisions throughout the country to get feedback on a possible suspension. "The survey was done to gauge division chiefs' sentiment before Nazri went public with his statement." In his latest criticism of Najib, Muhyiddin said his former boss had attempted to block him from performing his duties as a deputy president of the party. – February 26, 2016.]]>

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