Najib won't allow me to perform party duties, laments Muhyiddin

After being barred from speaking at the Umno general assembly last year, former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin now claims he is being prevented from performing his duties as party deputy president.

"Until today, he (party president Najib Abdul Razak) has not allowed me to perform my duties.

“(As it is), he has already fired me from the deputy prime minister post," he said.

Muhyiddin was speaking to a 100-strong crowd at the free tuition certificate presentation ceremony in Taman Duyung Intan, Port Dickson, this afternoon.

Muhyiddin said he accepted Najib’s action, as it is the prime minister’s prerogative to appoint his deputy.

However, he said he still has the power to act as advisor to the party president.

“Alright, it’s his prerogative (to choose his deputy). Although the decision to appoint cabinet members may be his, it is not absolute, especially considering that I am Umno deputy president," he stated.

Muhyiddin said, according to the party constitution, as vice-president, it is his responsibility to present his views and give advice regarding any action to be taken.

"The president asked me during the general assembly, ‘Do you know the duties of a deputy president?’ Look, I’m the chairperson of the constitutional committee. There is no need to ask me. Of course I know.

"There are only two (duties of the deputy president). First, help the president. Second, chair meetings in the absence of the president," he said.

Muhyiddin stressed that although his duties as assistant to the president sounds simple, they cover a lot of areas.

"Running the affairs of the party, heading the election machinery, oversee the list of voters, dealing with problems faced at the branches, if any.

"These are the responsibilities which I have done since I became the Umno deputy president six years ago, without any problem," he stressed. -Mkini