YOU CAN ALWAYS FIRE US – JUST AS NAJIB SACKED YOU! MUKHRIZ DARES BACKSTABBER MUHYIDDIN, REITERATES CALL TO BERSATU TO DUMP UMNO, PAS – ‘OUR FUTURE IS BETTER SECURED IF WE STICK WITH PAKATAN’

BERSATU president Muhyiddin Yassin could fire party members who question his leadership, just as he was himself booted from Umno in 2016 when he dared speak out against the party president, said Mukhriz Mahathir.

At a Facebook webinar hosted by Pakatan Harapan last night, the Kedah MB spoke on the split in Bersatu that was rooted in the “Sheraton move” which had brought about the fall of the Pakatan Harapan government in February.

Mukhriz recalled the time when he and Muhyiddin were sacked from Umno for questioning the leadership of then prime minister Najib Razak over his role in the 1MDB scandal.

“Leaders must be questioned when we feel there is wrongdoing, such as bribery and so on. And when we questioned the leaders from inside, action was taken against the deputy president, who was sacked unceremoniously,” said the Bersatu deputy president. 

“The reason given was that he did not follow the decision of the party. Please remember this reason, because it may be used again soon.”

“At that time, our purpose was to save Umno. However, what happened was that the person who abused his power sacked us. We acted to save the situation,” added the 56-year-old Jerlun MP.

DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke, Amanah secretary-general Dr Mohd Hatta Md Ramli and PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution also spoke in the webinar. The three MPs were ministers in the previous government.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin faces a confidence vote when parliament convenes for the first time this year. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, May 9, 2020.

Mukhriz repeated his call for Bersatu leaders to stick with Pakatan Harapan, warning that the party could otherwise suffer tremendous losses in the next general election. He urged party members to reconsider the alliance with Umno and PAS, which together with Sarawak’s GPS form the ruling Perikatan Nasional government.  

“We must not get emotional because we may regret it the next day. We should remain calm and carefully consider our actions.

“It seems that many people in the party wants Bersatu to divorce Pakatan Harapan and formally join Umno and PAS. Some have urged Tun Dr Mahathir and Datuk Seri Muhyiddin to reconcile for the sake of Bersatu’s future. But how can the party’s future be secure with Umno and PAS in it?

“There have been leaders from the top to the bottom, division leaders and former division leaders in Umno and PAS, who have openly stated that theirs is a government of convenience. That it is a temporary thing which is the result of a scheme that was hatched in the last minute.”

Mukhriz warned that in the next general election, Bersatu, regardless of its affiliation now, would have to fight Umno and PAS for the same seats to maintain power.

“To make matters worse, we would have to do it alone without any help from the Pakatan Harapan alliance.

“If we stick with Pakatan Harapan, our future is better secured. We managed to overthrow a kleptocratic government, a feat which was considered almost impossible, and as a result we have forged a close bond with our partners.”

“Compare this alliance with the other one, which is always insulting us, bullying us and always so quick to fight so aggressively for positions in government and in the GLCs. They have collectively insulted Bersatu, from the leadership all the way down to the grassroots.

“Make no mistake, we will face them in the next election. Bersatu may be buried permanently. That is my worry.”

Mukhriz was hopeful that the Dewan Rakyat, when it sits next week, will allow a “certain move” to clearly show where everyone stands.

“I hope what happens on May 18 will be witnessed by the rakyat. I hope our intentions will be clear then and that we are supported for it because we want to save democracy in our country.”

Meanwhile, Hatta criticised the Perikatan Nasional government’s appointment of its backbenchers to plum positions in the government and GLCs.

“We let the professionals manage the GLCs. That was what we did. Now we see politicians, who criticised the previous government for being overpaid, are now giving politicians positions in the GLCs.”

“They are shameless. And now they claim they are legitimate when in fact they are not. This is an illegitimate government because they lost the last election. The victors are now the vanquished.”

THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT