Muhyiddin says he won’t keep quiet about 1MDB

KUALA LUMPUR — Former Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said today (Aug 2) that he would not allow himself to be muted on topics such as the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal as it is his duty to raise issues of public concern.

Mr Muhyiddin, whose remarks on the troubled state investment vehicle purportedly cost him his position as Deputy Prime Minister last week, told delegates from ruling party United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) that he would continue to discuss 1MDB even though it might displease certain parties.

“My political friends gave me the advice — they said, ‘Tan Sri, you are no longer the Deputy Prime Minister, please speak nicely (of 1MDB). Who knows, there may be those bent on finding fault so that your deputy president post is put in jeopardy.

“I said I won’t keep quiet. As deputy president, why would I? I need to speak up,” he said during his speech to the crowd of more than 400 UMNO delegates from the Kluang division at its annual general meeting today.

Mr Muhyiddin was dropped by Prime Minister Najib Razak last week in a sudden Cabinet reshuffle that involved Mr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi replacing him as Deputy Premier.

Mr Muhyiddin had been openly questioning Mr Najib’s management of the state-owned 1MDB, which is under investigation for chalking up a  debt pile of RM42 billion (S$15 billion). 

Separately, it is also being investigated over allegations that about US$700 million (S$960 million) was funnelled from 1MDB-linked companies into Mr Najib’s bank accounts.

In his speech today, Mr Muhyiddin said the 1MDB issue is not a small matter and had garnered negative attention worldwide.

“This issue is the focus not just in Malaysia, but (also) the whole world. It is a big issue, everyone talks about it from high-level meetings to even (in) the villages,” he said.

Mr Muhyiddin added that there was a need for a speedy resolution to the 1MDB controversy as it affects not only the government’s reputation, but UMNO’s as well.

He reiterated that the 1MDB issue might be the ruling party’s downfall in the next election if it is not resolved soon, pointing to repeated reminders by opposition leaders of how they won the popular vote in the last polls.

Mr Muhyiddin first made such a comment late last month, when he said the ruling party could lose if elections were to be held “today” and if controversies such as 1MDB scandal remained unresolved.

At a separate event yesterday, Mr Najib appeared to be responding to Mr Muhyiddin’s remarks, saying UMNO and the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) still have time to regain public confidence as the next federal polls would not be held “tomorrow”.

“Someone said we will lose in the elections if they are held tomorrow. Who said elections will be held tomorrow?” the Prime Minister said this evening. “We still have time to gain back public confidence.”

Mr Najib’s remarks echoed that of newly appointed Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry, Mr Ahmad Maslan, who made a similar comment last week in response to Mr Muhyiddin.

Earlier today, however, Mr Muhyiddin scoffed at Mr Ahmad’s assertion. “There is an arrogant person holding a position in the party (and) the government who said tomorrow is not the election day. It is like a mother asking her son what he wants to be when he grows up and the son answered, ‘I’m still a little boy, Mother.’

“I said IF the elections were to be held tomorrow; I know the elections are not tomorrow,” the former Deputy Prime Minister added. AGENCIES