Explain why Muhyiddin was removed as DPM, Guan Eng tells Najib

GEORGE TOWN — Prime Minister Najib Razak must explain to the people why Mr Muhyiddin Yassin was dropped as deputy prime minister amid mounting criticism of Putrajaya’s handling of the 1Malaysia Development Board (1MDB) fiasco, Democratic Action Party (DAP) secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said today (July 29).

Mr Lim said the timing of yesterday’s Cabinet reshuffle — which culled Mr Muhyiddin and several ministers from the federal administration — is suspect as those who were removed had just only recently questioned Mr Najib’s handling of 1MDB.

“If they were removed for questioning the 1MDB scandal, it is something that Malaysians and foreign investors will not accept,” Mr Lim said at a news conference here.

“Muhyiddin was not involved in a scandal or any major controversies so we really want to know why he’s removed,” he added.

The Penang chief minister claimed that the Cabinet shakeup is all part of a ploy to punish any and all who question the government over 1MDB, while those allegedly involved in the scandal are let off scot-free.

Mr Lim stressed that any decision to remove a deputy prime minister is “extraordinary”.

“This is a big issue. We won’t know what is the effect of such a move but we will see it and the Penang state executive council who met this morning is concerned over this issue,” he said.

In yesterday’s Cabinet shakeup, Mr Najib removed Mr Muhyiddin along with United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) vice-president Shafie Apdal, Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) President G Palanivel, UMNO Supreme Council member Hasan Malek and United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation’s (UPKO) Ewon Ebin.

A few days prior to the reshuffle, Mr Muhyiddin had asked Mr Najib to clarify issues related to the 1MDB scandal, claiming that it could cause the downfall of Barisan Nasional (BN) if national polls were called now. MALAY MAIL ONLINE