Rahman, who is urban wellbeing, housing and local government minister, said it was not the duo’s criticism of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) that got them fired, but the fact that they chose to criticise the state investment arm in public.

“Najib had given Muhyiddin and Shafie Apdal a chance to ask about 1MDB, as long as it was done within the cabinet or the Umno supreme council, but not out there (in public) because they were both ministers,” he said in an interview with Utusan Malaysia.

Rahman claimed both Muhyiddin and Shafie had been criticising 1MDB since 2014.

“If Najib had asked them to leave because of their criticism of 1MDB, then they would have been gone a long time ago.”

He said even after they had openly criticised the government, they were both given the chance to resign honourably before Najib was forced to kick them out.

“If they disagreed with the government, then they were free to leave. However, they chose not to take the honourable way out.”