Will Muhyiddin pick up '115' gauntlet?

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Key Highlights

• Will Muhyiddin pick up ‘115’ gauntlet?

• One swallow doesn’t make Umno summer

• ‘For nation’s sake, revoke Tan Sri title’

Will Muhyiddin pick up ‘115’ gauntlet?

Mohd Puad Zarkashi has thrown down the gauntlet. But will Muhyiddin Yassin pick it up?

The Umno supreme council member has challenged the Perikatan Nasional chairperson to prove he had the support to be the prime minister after the last general election by naming the 115 MPs who purportedly backed him.

However, former Sabah chief minister Salleh Said Keruak believes that Muhyiddin, who is also Bersatu president, would not disclose the names for fear of losing his position.

“Should Muhyiddin disclose the names and some of them (MPs) deny it, he will lose credibility as a leader.

“Therefore, PN will remove him from the chairperson position to be replaced with a leader who is wise and with credibility,” he said.

Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal had earlier claimed that Muhyiddin was speaking the truth.

The Machang MP said he was one of the signatories and a witness of the statutory declaration (SD) containing the names, which was submitted to the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s private secretary on Nov 20, 2022.

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One swallow doesn’t make Umno summer

As the accolades pour in following Umno’s triumph in the PAS heartland of Kelantan, a veteran leader has pointed out that the celebration should be tempered.

Umno vice-president Johari Abdul Ghani said it would be premature to conclude that the outcome of the Nenggiri by-election translated into the return of Malay support for the party.

“It’s too early for us to make such a conclusion but our victory in Nenggiri is a sign that we must continue with our efforts (to regain support).

“Because one win doesn’t mean we now have control of the whole Kelantan. It’s not right.

“However, the one win signifies that if we are united and work towards strengthening the party, insya-Allah, victory will be ours,” he said.

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‘For nation’s sake, revoke Tan Sri title’

After his speech ruffled the feathers of the Pahang royal household and made him the subject of a police investigation, a DAP leader has called for Perikatan Nasional chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin to be stripped of his Tan Sri title.

Pahang deputy speaker Lee Chin Chen claimed this was because the veteran politician’s remarks not only challenged the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s decision but were also “irresponsible” and sowed confusion among Malaysians.

According to him, Muhyiddin’s Tan Sri title must be revoked with immediate effect to “safeguard the nation’s dignity and sovereignty”.

Lee said as a leader who has held senior government positions, Muhyiddin should set an example and respect the principles of the Constitution.

“Unfortunately, he chose to spread wrong, confusing statements, which goes to show that he does not deserve to hold the country’s highest title.

“Muhyiddin’s act has not only tarnished the royal institution but is also capable of destroying the people’s trust in the constitutional democracy that the country practises,” he added.

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Views that matter

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