As the Umno supreme council meeting set for Sept 9 approaches, speculation is rife that Muhyiddin Yassin may be sacked as Umno deputy president as well.
Muhyiddin was removed as deputy prime minister on July 28 but was spared "Judgment Day" as the Umno supreme council meeting slated to be held three days later was postponed.
Umno activist Shahbudin Husin said in his blog posting today that while opinions on what will happen are split, there are indications that Muhyiddin may be shown the door.
"He is expected to be sacked for allegedly affecting the party's image and sullying Umno president Najib Abdul Razak through his open criticism of 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion donation at a number of Umno division annual general meetings in the last two to three weeks," Shahbudin ( photo ) said.
He claimed this is amid word from a senior official at the Umno headquarters of an impending "second operation" to neutralise threats in the party against Najib.
"It is believed that by ousting Muhyiddin as Umno deputy president, his influence on the party can be neutralised as his voice can then be described as 'independent' or 'oppositional'," said Shahbudin.
However, he said, another Umno supreme council member, Shafie Apdal, who is a founding member of Sabah Umno, would be spared so as not to anger supporters in his state.
Both Muhyiddin and Shafie were removed from the government on July 28 for being outspoken about Najib's handling of 1MDB.
Shahbudin claimed that efforts were already being made to lobby two-thirds of Umno supreme council member to back Muhyiddin's sacking ahead of the supreme council meeting.
"It is also said that the motion to sack Muhyiddin will be brought by a senior party member," he said.
Shahbudin also claimed that Mukhriz Mahathir ( photo ) and Zambry Abdul Kadir may also be replaced as Umno liaison chiefs of their states during the meeting.
He said that Mukhriz may be replaced by newly-appointed minister Mahdzir Khalid while Zambry will be replaced by newly-minted Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
However, he said, Johor Menteri Besar Khaled Nordin would be spared so as not to further anger Johor Umno members who are already upset with Muhyiddin's ouster.
Related Reports
We won't use tasers for Bersih 4 rally: police
Sultan: Don't fool rakyat by whitewashing country's woes
Johor Sultan: Stem economic woes now
Umno rep: TMJ's warning must apply to Johor tycoons
PKR Youth's Skuad to be deployed for Bersih 4 rally
Bar Council calls for EGM over Najib's RM2.6bil
Rafidah: Are Umno's strings being pulled for RM2.6b?
'Pegging ringgit will invite speculative attack'
Swiss aim for new law to return stashed funds
Swiss 1MDB probe focuses on two executives
PAS reiterates it’s out of Bersih 4
Gov’t to establish special economic committee
Muhyiddin to be sacked as Umno No 2?
In bid to stay in power, PM ‘bastardises’ M’sia
Ringgit will keep falling if key issues not addressed
