Umno should not put pressure on Muhyiddin for DPM post, says Zahid

(Bernama) – Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has asked the party’s leaders and members not to pressure Muhyiddin Yassin to reinstate the deputy prime minister’s post and give it to Umno.

Zahid said appointments as deputy prime minister, ministers and deputy ministers were the absolute prerogative of the prime minister.

“As such, there should not be any open speculation, interpretation or analysis on the post of deputy prime minister although it must be admitted that this matter has been discussed at party meetings.

“Any parties can request but let’s not apply pressure because we have to respect the power accorded to the prime minister,” Zahid, who is Bagan Datuk MP, said after joining local residents for breakfast at Warung Kopi Atan Deris at the Hutan Melintang jetty here today.

Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob, in an exclusive interview with a local Malay daily, said the issue of Umno asking for the deputy prime minister’s post would be raised after the debate on the 2021 budget in the Dewan Rakyat had been completed.

Ismail said apart from the senior minister post held by him, Umno had not been given other senior portfolios despite having the largest bloc of MPs in the Perikatan Nasional government.