Consider taking sick leave, Puad tells ‘back-stabbing’ Muhyiddin

 

Senior Umno member Puad Zarkashi said the exit door has slammed shut on Muhyiddin Yassin.

PETALING JAYA: Muhyiddin Yassin should consider going on “sick leave” instead of fighting a losing battle to stay in power, an Umno Supreme Council member said today.

Puad Zarkashi said Muhyiddin was now in a more perilous situation, with ministers and MPs from Umno said to be furious over the prime minister’s overtures to the opposition yesterday as he sought cross-party support to keep his government afloat.

Puad said Muhyiddin had not discussed the matter, about potentially working with DAP and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, and those from Umno who had been backing Muhyiddin’s administration felt they were backstabbed and were prepared to retract their support.

Umno had at its general assembly said it would not work with Anwar and DAP.

“I hope Muhyiddin takes note of this. The exit door is slammed shut. He should take sick leave before the letter to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong by the Speaker is leaked,” he said in a Facebook post.

On Thursday, it was reported that Istana Negara had asked Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun to disclose the number of parliamentarians who were backing Muhyiddin.

Muhyiddin’s position as prime minister was thrown into doubt since Umno decided to retract support for his administration earlier this month, with the party and the opposition demanding his resignation.

Puad said Muhyiddin should expedite the tabling of a confidence motion to next week instead of doing so during the next sitting in September.

“Stop fighting a losing war,” Puad said.

Muhyiddin’s circumstances looked bleak yesterday when opposition parties and Umno rejected his proposal for reforms and a more inclusive administration in exchange for support in next month’s parliamentary vote of confidence. - FMT