‘Suspension shows Supreme Council can no longer take criticism’

Academician Aziz Bari feels Umno has made a strange and terrible move.

PETALING JAYA: Muhyiddin Yassin’s suspension as Umno deputy president yesterday shows that the party’s highest leadership can no longer take criticism from its own members.

Academician Prof Dr Abdul Aziz Bari told FMT that the party’s Supreme Council’s move to suspend Muhyiddin was a strange and terrible one.

“Umno has ignored the choice of its delegates. Why not wait till the next party elections?
“This drastic move shows that Umno cannot face its own members.

“The suspension gives the impression that party president Najib Razak is in a precarious position and that he cannot face criticism from within and outside the party.”

Aziz also said Muhyiddin’s suspension proved Najib was not the big-hearted leader as had been declared.

“It’s just lip service. Najib is not ready to keep his promise. He is unable to walk the talk.

“If Umno does not give room for the truth, then Muhyiddin should not remain with Umno. If he remains with Umno, it would not make sense.

“If Muhyiddin is willing to be a normal member, it’s a different story, but what can he do?”
Another academician, Dr Maszlee Malik, felt Muhyiddin’s suspension was the safer choice.

“If Muhyiddin was sacked by Umno, he would not be alone and surely we would see a repeat of the1998 ‘Reformasi’ wave.

“The decision to suspend him is a strategy to place him in ‘cold storage’,” he told FMT.

Maszlee said Muhyiddin needed to align himself with another enemy of Najib, former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, if he wanted to remain relevant in politics.