Azalina: Muhyiddin's confession proof of coup attempt

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Azalina Othman Said has accused former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin of possible complicity in a coup to topple Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

She referred to Muhyiddin's recent statement where he admitted that he was briefed by former attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail, when both were in office, about alleged criminal proof against Najib. ‎

"This is an admission that there was a high-level conspiracy to topple the prime minister, in what would have been a coup against the democratic process and the decision of the people at the last general election," she said in a statement.

Azalina said that the incident, which would have occurred when they were both in office in May 2015 – before the Special Task Force investigating the prime minister was formed, and before the prime minister was interviewed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) – proved that there was a conspiracy.

"How could the attorney-general have had sufficient proof to charge Najib then when an investigation had not even been launched?" she asked.

She also said that for a sitting attorney-general to privately brief and share classified legal information with Muhyiddin, a cabinet and Umno member who clearly had vested interests, was unethical and also a breach of the Official Secrets Act.

She also wondered if this was the same leaked proof that the Wall Street Journal had based its article on when it claimed to have seen confidential documents and used these as the basis of its allegations against Najib.

Muhyiddin's statement, she said, was indirectly questioning the credibility of the current attorney- general (Mohamed Apandi Ali) and the MACC.

Azalina said that Muhyiddin might not only be in breach of the Official Secrets Act, but possibly be complicit in a politically-motivated conspiracy to manipulate the legal system in order to overthrow a duly elected prime minister.

"Why only now is Muhyiddin making such a confession just after he was suspended as (Umno) deputy president? What is his hidden motive and agenda? Can his act be seen as abetting since he claims to have information on an alleged criminal act, but did not report to the authorities until today?‎" she said.

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Yesterday, Muhyiddin said that he was presented with evidence implicating Najib in criminal wrongdoing on the RM42 million from state-owned SRC International Sdn Bhd which found its way into prime minister's personal bank accounts.

He made the accusation in his statement responding to his suspension as Umno deputy president.

Gani, however, declined to comment on the matter when contacted by Malaysiakini.

-Mkini