Umno Secretary-General Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the Supreme Council had unanimously agreed to suspend Muhyiddin until the next party election, which has been postponed to 2018, after the latter failed to help the president, as stipulated in Umno’s constitution.
“Muhyiddin’s behaviour did not reflect that of a deputy president, which is to help the president strengthen the party.
“He also undermined the party,” Tengku Adnan said at a press conference at the Umno headquarters today after chairing the discussion on Muhyiddin’s suspension earlier in the evening.
Both Umno president Najib Razak and Zahid were absent from the discussion.
The party’s decision to suspend the Pagoh MP was expected as days before, Umno Supreme Council member Nazri Aziz said he would push for Muhyiddin’s suspension.
This came after Muhyiddin had last weekend accused Umno President Najib Razak of blocking him from carrying out his duties as deputy president of the party.
He also claimed that as the former DPM, he was privy to a lot of “insight” on the RM2.6 billion donation found in Najib’s personal bank accounts.
Muhyiddin has run foul of Najib since he began criticising the party leader and prime minister over the affairs of the government’s investment arm 1Malaysia Development Bhd and the RM2.6b donation controversy.
In July last year, Najib reshuffled the Cabinet and dismissed both Muhyiddin as well as Rural and Regional Development Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal, also a vocal critic of 1MDB.
Earlier today, former Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir warned that Muhyiddin’s suspension would be the “final nail in Umno’s coffin”.
In a blogpost, Mukhriz said Muhyiddin’s suspension could also lead to an exodus of Umno members as well as those who have been “on the fence”about supporting Umno all this while.
Mukhriz said Umno’s constitution never stopped any member or leader from questioning issues raised by the people.
Meanwhile, Umno Supreme Council member Abdul Rahman Dahlan said the decision was important as the party will now be more focused in preparing for the 14th General Election.
“Today, we recognise that discipline is paramount in any organisation. No organisation will survive if gross indiscipline is tolerated,” he tweeted.