Hisham denies eyeing DPM post
Foreign Minister: I wish to state that I have never worked towards that direction
PETALING JAYA: As Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa reiterates that it is the prerogative of the Prime Minister to appoint a deputy prime minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein ( pic) has refuted a press report linking him to the job.
Annuar, who is also Barisan Nasional secretary-general, also said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin must be given the space lead the nation without pressure and for his own type of administration to be in place.
“The Prime Minister felt there was no necessity for a deputy prime minister and opted for the four senior ministers’ system. This we accept.
“Even if the Prime Minister changes his mind and decides to appoint a deputy, we also accept it,” he said in Putrajaya yesterday after handing out contributions to recipients of the ministry’s Wilayah Cakna 3.0 initiative, according to Bernama.
He was responding to a media report that three Umno leaders are being considered as the next deputy prime minister, namely the party’s deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and former vice-president Hishammuddin.
Annuar said it was not wrong to give recommendations and views but it should not be seen as pressuring the Prime Minister.
“The Deputy Prime Minister is the most senior person to the Prime Minister, can he name someone who cannot cooperate with him? Of course not,” the Ketereh MP added.
Meanwhile, Hishammuddin has denied ever eyeing the deputy prime minister post in addressing a report in Sin Chew Daily on Wednesday that speculated on the three Umno leaders being possible candidates for the position.
“Referring to Sin Chew Daily’s article about me being one of the candidates for the post of deputy prime minister that subsequently raised questions, I wish to state that I have never worked towards that direction. I am thankful to the party for supporting me to represent Umno as a minister in today’s government,” the Sembrong MP said on his Facebook page yesterday.
Hishammuddin, who was recently appointed Barisan treasury-general, reiterated that the focus of the government and Umno now was on the tabling of Budget 2021 in Parliament and managing the Covid-19 crisis.
“It’s not about the issue of positions,” he said, adding that this was in keeping with recent statements by Umno president and also its supreme council to heed the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s call for all to stop politicking and unite in the fight against Covid-19.
“Whatever the stance and decision, it is in the party’s interest – in the past, now and forever,” said Hishammuddin, who is also Foreign Minister.
The Perikatan Nasional government led by Muhyiddin does not have the conventional deputy prime minister in the Cabinet line-up.
By ranking, the top senior ministers after Muhyiddin are Datuk Seri Azmin Ali (International Trade and Industry Minister), Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (Defence Minister), Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (Works Minister) and Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin (Education Minister).