Muhyiddin’s nod for Ismail Sabri was to avoid prolonged crisis, says aide
Marzuki Mohamad says Muhyiddin Yassin was magnanimous in nominating Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the prime minister candidate. (Marzuki Mohamad Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: The caretaker prime minister’s principal private secretary, Marzuki Mohamad, has revealed his conversation with Muhyiddin Yassin a day before he resigned.
Marzuki said he had gone to Muhyiddin’s house to clear some files at 8am on Aug 15 and was asked to join him for breakfast.
The Bersatu president then told him that many people had texted him and asked him not to resign.
“But he said, ‘I have lost my majority, how could I stay on?’,” Marzuki wrote in a Facebook post.
He was also shocked as Muhyiddin then said he had “no problem” if Umno’s Ismail Sabri Yaakob was nominated as the next prime minister candidate.
“How could this man nominate as PM a person from the party which had just booted him out from that coveted position?” Marzuki wrote.
“We had a little argument about this for a while but he looked set to do what he believed was right.”
According to Marzuki, Muhyiddin had argued that if he did not support a prime minister candidate, no one would have the majority and the country would continue to be in political turmoil.
The Perikatan Nasional chairman also sought to confirm with Marzuki if the decision was constitutional.
“I told him, ‘Yes, sir. It is constitutional. Then he said to me, ‘Call Ismail to see me at 11am’.”
Before leaving for a meeting with Bersatu MPs at 9am, Marzuki said, Muhyiddin had once more enquired if the decision was constitutional.
“I replied ‘Yes sir, it is.’ He said, ‘Okay, I will discuss this with Bersatu MPs’.”
As he left for the meeting, Marzuki admitted that he felt “perplexed” with the conversation they just had, but admired Muhyiddin’s magnanimity.
Muhyiddin and his Cabinet tendered their resignations to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Monday after losing majority support.
The King is expected to appoint his successor later today, after a meeting with the Malay rulers.
PETALING JAYA: The caretaker prime minister’s principal private secretary, Marzuki Mohamad, has revealed his conversation with Muhyiddin Yassin a day before he resigned.
Marzuki said he had gone to Muhyiddin’s house to clear some files at 8am on Aug 15 and was asked to join him for breakfast.
The Bersatu president then told him that many people had texted him and asked him not to resign.
“But he said, ‘I have lost my majority, how could I stay on?’,” Marzuki wrote in a Facebook post.
He was also shocked as Muhyiddin then said he had “no problem” if Umno’s Ismail Sabri Yaakob was nominated as the next prime minister candidate.
“How could this man nominate as PM a person from the party which had just booted him out from that coveted position?” Marzuki wrote.
“We had a little argument about this for a while but he looked set to do what he believed was right.”
According to Marzuki, Muhyiddin had argued that if he did not support a prime minister candidate, no one would have the majority and the country would continue to be in political turmoil.
The Perikatan Nasional chairman also sought to confirm with Marzuki if the decision was constitutional.
“I told him, ‘Yes, sir. It is constitutional. Then he said to me, ‘Call Ismail to see me at 11am’.”
Before leaving for a meeting with Bersatu MPs at 9am, Marzuki said, Muhyiddin had once more enquired if the decision was constitutional.
“I replied ‘Yes sir, it is.’ He said, ‘Okay, I will discuss this with Bersatu MPs’.”
As he left for the meeting, Marzuki admitted that he felt “perplexed” with the conversation they just had, but admired Muhyiddin’s magnanimity.
Muhyiddin and his Cabinet tendered their resignations to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Monday after losing majority support.
The King is expected to appoint his successor later today, after a meeting with the Malay rulers.
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