KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 – UMNO deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is repeated his concerns over 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) to thousands of supporters tonight after being barred from speaking at this year’s Umno general assembly at Kelab Sultan Sulaiman in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur here today, one day before the Umno annual general assembly.
He said the business model is a wrong model which there were also many businessmen will agree with this. He said this during a speech at Kelab Sultan Sulaiman here. Meanwhile, the Umno deputy president also said that the issue should be debated in the Umno assembly and that those responsible for it must face the consequences.
The former deputy prime minister added that the investigations into 1MDB should be free from interference. Muhyiddin also spoke about the misuse of laws such as the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) 2012 and his concerns about the recently-passed National Security Council (NSC) Bill.
The Pagoh MP also said there were concerns about the RM2.6 billion donation in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s account. Also in attendance at the rally were former prime minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad and Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.
On Nov 24, it was decided that Muhyiddin would not allowed to make any speeches during the main Umno general assembly, which starts on Tuesday, despite his party position. The decision to bar Muhyiddin from addressing the party wings’ assemblies has been criticised as the practice has been part of the party’s tradition over the past few decades.
Najib’s critics in Umno have accused him of trying to silence Muhyiddin, who was dropped from Cabinet in July. It is customary for the deputy president to give the policy speech at the joint-opening of three Umno wings and also deliver a winding-up speech at the end of the assembly.
After the decision was made, Muhyiddin said he would not keep quiet and would continue to talk about his rights even though he was not delivering the opening speech at the party’s Youth, Wanita and Puteri Wings. Muhyiddin, who has been critical of Najib’s handling of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) issue, has been barred from giving the keynote address at the opening of the Wanita, Puteri and Umno Youth assemblies.
In the same time, he is also expected to address the supporters and continue his criticism of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak despite a warning from Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor today against “crossing the line” in his speech.
