Dr M: Muhyiddin did all he can to make Pribumi a success

PETALING JAYA: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Pribumi) president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has done more to make the party a success than those calling for his ouster, says its chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Defending Muhyiddin, Dr Mahathir also refuted claims that he was being used by the former deputy prime minister.

“When he was sacked (from Umno), unlike others who lost their positions, Muhyiddin did not distance himself from me.

“Instead, he agreed to form Pribumi and be its president.

“He also accepted my suggestion that I be the party chairman, a position higher than his.

“He has done a lot to make Pribumi a success, a whole lot more than those people calling for his ouster,” said Dr Mahathir on his blog.

Dr Mahathir said it was difficult to persuade Umno leaders, especially those with positions as ministers, to leave the party and join a movement against it.

“But Muhyiddin was deputy prime minis- ter. If Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has stepped down, he would have been Prime Minister,” said Dr Mahathir.

Several Pribumi members from Perak, led by its Ipoh Timur division chief sponsor Azrul Suhadi Ahmad Mokhtar, recently called for Muhyiddin’s resignation.

However, the party’s state chapter denied that such an issue was ever raised among its members, with its chairman Faizal Azumu describing Azrul’s statement as a betrayal to Pribumi.

Dismissing the group, Dr Mahathir said they were merely trying to lead others astray from the party’s struggle.

“I believe those proposing this move want to see Pribumi fail in its struggle.

“Altogether, they want to see me fail and Najib to succeed,” he said, adding that there was no place for such people in Pribumi.

“These people – who claim to support me – are actually my enemies who are fighting for Najib.

“If they continue their efforts, then I agree that they should be ejected from the party,” said Dr Mahathir.