Takiyuddin: I drafted DPM agreement

 

BUKIT GANTANG: The drafting of the agreement on the appointment of the deputy prime minister was his responsibility at the time, says Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.

Takiyuddin - who was the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) then - said that he only prepared the agreement but was not the one who signed it.

He is now the Energy and Natural Resources Minister.

“Perhaps when (PAS president) Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang was asked about the document, it was spontaneous.

“Although there was a discussion, not everyone knew about the document and Abdul Hadi wasn’t the one who signed it,” he added.

Takiyuddin said this when speaking to reporters at the Keluarga Malaysia Mesra Rakyat programme at Dewan Serbaguna Kampung Sungai Tiang, Trong on Tuesday (July 12).

Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had on Monday (July 11) said Takiyuddin was the one who drafted the agreement between Perikatan Nasional and him.

Muhyiddin added that he and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob signed the agreement, witnessed by Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa.

Abdul Hadi had on July 8 denied there was such an agreement to appoint a deputy prime minister.

Takiyuddin, who is also PAS secretary-general, said it was up to the Prime Minister to decide on the deputy minister's post.

“As a minister, what I need is my deputy. Therefore, to know if we need a deputy prime minister, only the Prime Minister can answer it.

“According to the Federal Constitution, there is no deputy prime minister's post but what we had during the previous prime ministers’ administration was a convention that allows such posts to exist," he added.

Takiyuddin said that the documents should be checked.

“Whether Umno knows about it or not, just check who signed the documents. How can someone sign and say they don’t know about it? The documents speak louder than words,” he added. - Star