In a Facebook post, Puad said there was no reason for the government to be afraid of Syed Saddiq.

“The 2021 budget has already passed. Muhyiddin (Yassin) can continue to be the prime minister until the emergency is over,” he said.

Puad said Syed Saddiq had made a “serious accusation” by claiming that home minister Hamzah Zainudin had encouraged him to support PN for MUDA to be approved.

“Is that the way Muhyiddin retains power? Hopefully, Umno does not succumb to any pressure.

“There may be individuals who are afraid of undergoing such pressure. They fear being charged, or losing a position,” he said.

On Jan 6, the Registrar of Societies had rejected the registration of MUDA without giving any specific reason.

In a court affidavit, Syed Saddiq claimed that Hamzah had “enticed” him to support the government in exchange for MUDA’s approval, after the Muar MP brought up the matter in the Dewan Rakyat during the budget session.

Syed Saddiq said Hamzah had asked him to stay away from the Dewan Rakyat when voting took place, if he decided to oppose any government bills.

Hamzah is recovering from Covid-19, after testing positive for the virus earlier this month.