Dr M’s slap in the face for Muhyiddin
Former Umno strongman backs off from backing anyone to become new prime minister.
(Free Malaysia Today) – Dr Mahathir Mohamad has delivered what appears to be a rebuff of Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin as a possible future prime minister.
Speaking at a forum here today, Dr Mahathir refused to endorse a successor to Najib Razak as Umno president and prime minister.
Dr Mahathir has openly called for Najib’s resignation and has campaigned for him to step down for mismanagement of the country’s finances, in light of revelations about the troubled government-owned 1Malaysia Development Bhd.
While acknowledging that it was party convention for the Umno deputy president to take over the top post in the event of a vacancy, he would not comment about Muhyiddin Yassin moving up, the Malaysian Insider reported.
“That (who should be the prime minister) is for the party to decide. See, of course, there are people who are quite qualified. If we go according to the party constitution, the person who is the most eligible would be the deputy,” Dr Mahathir said at a press conference.
Asked for his thoughts about Muhyiddin, Dr Mahathir would not comment.
“No, I have lost faith in people. Before they get appointed, they are the cleanest people in the world but then when they get some authority, they misbehave themselves, so I don’t know,” he was quoted as saying.
