Muhyiddin: Sons of Johor will never back down

Umno deputy president wants Facebook followers to suggest points to raise at party’s upcoming general assembly.

PETALING JAYA: Looks like Deputy Umno president Muhyiddin Yassin is not about to go down without a fight, if his Facebook post today is anything to go by.

The nation’s former number two uploaded a photograph of himself posing in front of a large picture that captured a 1946 demonstration in Johor Baru against the Malayan Union proposal.

Below the picture, Muhyiddin wrote: “History has shown that the sons of Johor would never back down in defending the sovereignty of their motherland.”

Muhyiddin is also harbouring hopes he would be allowed to address members in the upcoming Umno general assembly.

In the same Facebook posting, the Pagoh lawmaker invited his followers to suggest points he should raise if he gets the chance to speak.

He also claimed he had received a lot of requests from the party’s grassroots to give a speech.

“Please give your views honestly and with a sincere heart.”

Muhyiddin’s invite comes as Umno, specifically president Najib Razak, mulled over whether or not the former deputy prime minister should be allowed to deliver the winding up speech at the end of the general assembly.

Last month the Umno Supreme Council decided the assemblies of its three wings would be officiated by its respective leaders and did away with the tradition of the deputy president doing so.

Muhyiddin was dropped as Najib’s deputy in a Cabinet reshuffle on July 28 after he publicly criticised debt-ridden 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), of which the prime minister plays an advisory role.

The Umno general assembly begins on Tuesday, December 8 and will last until December 12 with the opening of the meetings of the three wings.