Shahbudin: Johor Fortress ‘lost’ if Umno sacks Muhyiddin

"Unexpected" movement emerging in Johor in support of Muhyiddin Yassin remaining as the party’s Deputy President.

KUALA LUMPUR: If sacked Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin suffers a second humiliation and is sacked as a party member as well and thereby loses his Deputy Presidency, Johor which has remained the party’s “fortress” for so long would be lost even before 2018 when the next General Election is due. The Umno Supreme Council is due to meet on September 9 to decide, among others, Muhyiddin’s fate – his membership — in the party.

“The prognosis is not good although Muhyiddin has issued a statement from abroad calling for bravery to save the nation in the face of cowardice,” said a political analyst.

According to reliable sources at Umno Headquarters, said the analyst, an Operasi Kedua (2nd Operation) cannot be avoided to purge the party of what’s considered dissident elements, rebels and trouble-creators. “It’s more likely to be the death sentence for Muhyiddin, come September 9, and not to give him a new lease on his life in the party.”

That’s also the reading of Shahbudin Husin who has taken a poll of Umno leaders in Johor. “In that case, if Muhyiddin is sacked by the Supreme Council, many party branches in Johor will be dissolved, according to sources in the state.”

“Dissolution of the branches will be a sign of protest against Umno, over Muhyiddin’s sacking. He has not been involved in any criminal wrongdoing or found wanting on moral grounds. There are no grounds to strip him of his party membership.”

Muhyiddin’s expulsion therefore would be unwarranted and deemed an abuse of power by those who are themselves tainted, added Shahbudin. “Muhyiddin’s only fault in Umno, indeed if it’s a fault, is that he spoke the truth on what issues were affecting the image of the party, the premiership, government and country.”

“He wants to save Umno which he has served faithfully for the past 40 years through thick and thin.”

The dissolution of Umno branches beginning in Johor first, continued Shahbudin, would be the first in a series of “unexpected” actions against the party, and in support of Muhyiddin, if misfortune befalls him on September 9 during the Supreme Council meeting. “Dissolution of the Umno branches would mean that the members would cease all political activities but would still remain with the party for now but as ordinary members.”

It could not be immediately estimated how many Umno branches would be affected in Johor by a protest movement if Muhyiddin was sacked from the party, said the analyst, but one estimate was that at least between three to five branches in each division in the state would be dissolved. “This works out to between 78 and 130 branches from among the 26 divisions in Johor.”

In raising “alarm bells” on the emerging protest movement, Shahbudin pointed out that this would translate into good news for the informal opposition alliance in the state which already has 18 state seats. “Muhyiddin’s situation in Umno can be likened to telur di hujung tanduk (a moment of destruction waiting to happen as a result of a great crisis).”

Muhyiddin, who is at the moment on a brief vacation with his family, has already been quick to assure party members that he was no traitor as alleged by his critics. “This was in fact his comment on the emerging unexpected protest movement in Johor Umno which wants to express solidarity with him in his hour of need.”

“Muhyiddin wanted to assure party members that even during the party’s gravest moments, for example when it was declared unlawful, he stood by the party and helped rebuild the membership of a newly-registered organisation under the same name.”

The party in Johor, Shahbudin quoted Muhyiddin as saying, went on to secure the state as the fortress for Umno, a party which was in fact born in the Istana.