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PETALING JAYA: Muhyiddin Yassin’s future as prime minister is at stake tonight as Umno’s leadership council meets following the rejection of a government proposal to declare a state of emergency for Covid-19.
Former Prime Minister Najib Razak is said to have asked Umno MPs to support opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who seeks to overthrow Muhyiddin and form a new government.
The proposal, raised at a meeting of Umno parliamentarians, was endorsed by several Najib supporters, a party source told the FMT. “MPs deliberated on the question of supporting Anwar, but others preferred new polls,” the FMT was told.
Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional (with 50 seats in Dewan Rakyaat) has formed a coalition government with the support of Umno and Barisan Nasional (43 seats); Sarawak (18) and independent GPS. It has a small majority in Dewan Rakyat.
Anwar recently claimed that he had won the majority support among the MPs and that he could form a new government.
Reports about today’s meeting on two news portals suggested that Najib had been targeted by Umno veterans Nazri Aziz and Noh Omar, but Najib denied the reports.
He said on Facebook: “Nobody attacked me at the meeting. Noh Omar did not attack me, and neither did Nazri, ”adding that Nazri did not attend tonight’s meeting.
Nazri also told FMT that he was in Kelantan and not at the meeting.
The FMT source said that Umno MPs were quite divided as others said that support for Muhyiddin should be maintained until new parliamentary elections are called.
“There seems to be more support for new elections, then Anwar as prime minister, and then support for Muhyiddin to continue,” the party source said.
Non-supporters of Anwar questioned his relationship with DAP. They said they may not support the plan to push him as prime minister, as some of them do not want to establish ties with DAP.
The three suggestions are now being deliberated in the high council meeting before a decision is made tonight.
They want the matter to be decided tonight. But I’m not sure how, as the members seem divided. Each faction feels they are doing the right thing, ”he said.
Zahid chairs the meeting of the Supreme Council of Umno
Umno President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi chaired the party’s Supreme Council meeting tonight, which began at around 8.30 pm in Menara Dato Onn.
Among those seen arriving at the meeting were Vice President Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Head of Youth Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki and Supreme Council members Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, Azalina Othman and Shahidan Kassim.
The meeting is expected to discuss the party’s next move regarding political developments following the government’s failure to obtain actual approval for a state of emergency.
Local and international journalists began to meet at the Umno headquarters at 7:00 p.m., awaiting the arrival of the leaders and a possible press conference after the meeting.
The leaders of Barisan Nasional had also held a special meeting this afternoon.
