Najib, in his defence in a lawsuit by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, also denied that he played a part in preventing Muhyiddin, who is also the Umno deputy president, from speaking at the AGM.

“Barring Muhyiddin from talking were not acts by me (defendant) in exercising my duties as an alleged public officer or fiduciary,” he said. “These alleged acts, if any, which are denied, give rise if at all from a cause of action by Muhyiddin against Umno and BN, not me.”

Najib further denied that he played a role in removing Muhyiddin and Shafie Apdal from the Federal Cabinet. “The removal was done in accordance with the Federal Constitution under Article 43(5) and it’s an exercise of royal prerogative,” he claimed.

Muhyiddin was reported as saying last year that he was prevented from making the customary winding up speech at the AGM as the party’s number two.

He was also barred from speaking at the meets held by the Umno’s Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings in conjunction with the AGM.

Mahathir and two vocal critics of Najib, Khairuddin Abu Hassan and Anina Saadudin, sued Najib earlier this year over claims of abuse of power in office.

The trio also want to compel Najib to pay them and the government RM2.6 billion and RM42 million respectively. The sums reflect a political “donation” of RM2.6 billion apparently received by Najib and RM42 million by SRC International to his personal account.