Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has done the right thing in dropping Pagoh MP Muhyiddin Yassin as his deputy, an aide to Rosmah Mansor said.

In a Facebook posting, Rosmah’s aide Rizal Mansor said this was because there was no need for Najib to retain a 'foolish' deputy who refused to accept repeated explanations on the alleged scandals that implicated Najib.

“What is the point of having a foolish deputy?

“He could not understand the 1MDB issue which was explained at length to the cabinet (but) he understood what was written in The Edge ,” said Rizal in reference to Muhyiddin’s criticisms against state-investment arm 1MDB.

Rizal, who cited Muhyiddin’s statement that there were people who came up to him and asked about scandals implicating Najib and Rosmah, also said: “I have personally given my explanation on all major issues involving the PM’s wife since before the 13th general elections until today.

“Among the big issues was the one on the (RM24 million diamond) ring and her daughter’s wedding.

“I have explained and answered every single one of the claims made. I have made public speeches, press statements as well as closed-door sessions with various levels of Umno and Wanita Umno leadership,” said Rizal, adding that most of them were satisfied with his answers.

Aside from the two major controversies, Rizal insisted that he had also addressed all other issues raised against Rosmah.

“He (Muhyiddin) can’t blame anyone else because he himself never bothered about the answers which had been given.

“He preferred to take the approach to just allow the president (Najib) to be attacked by all kinds of slander. Maybe that was better for his own personal political interest,” Rizal claimed.

Since his sacking as deputy prime minister last July, Muhyiddin had continued criticising Najib and supported calls for his removal as prime minister.

Muhyiddin was subsequently suspended from his post as Umno deputy president and had last Friday joined 57 other signatories to the Citizens Declaration that saw former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad rallying together a movement to call for Najib’s resignation.