“Nonetheless, we appreciate Bronze Sri Muhyiddin for commitment and all his function to the authorities and country, as I do all those ministers who are nolonger within the case”.
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“Any difference in opinion is not supposed to be expressed in an open forum, which is against the concept of collective responsibility in the government”, Najib said.
Muhyiddin said he accepted the decision because it was the prerogative of the Prime Minister.
“Any flicker of hope that the prime minister might be charged for misdeeds is extinguished”, opposition lawmaker Tony Pua tweeted.
The Wall Street Journal reported this month that Malaysian government investigators had discovered that almost $700 million had moved through government agencies, banks and companies linked to 1MDB before ending up in Najib’s personal accounts.
Trade was also on the agenda for Mr Cameron’s talks with President Truong Tan Sang and PM Nguyen Tan Dung – who both reportedly fought with the Communist Viet Cong in the war as a young men and were either wounded or jailed by US-backed South Vietnamese forces.
“What happened today breaches every rule that forms the core principles of a democracy…This is only compounding the crisis, not solving it”, said Ambiga Sreenevasan, the president of the National Human Rights Society (Hakam), a Malaysian non-governmental organization.
He also sacked four cabinet ministers Mohd Shafie Apdal, Hasan Malek, G. Palanivel and Ewon Ebin and appointed seven new ministers.
Home Minister Zahid Hamidi replaced Yassin as deputy premier.
Muhyiddin: I asked him “From whom?’ He did not mention (what his name was) but from somewhere in the Middle East. How much?”
Muhyiddin said he was able to sleep Tuesday night though at a late hour because he had many visitors, among them Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.
Utusan Malaysia Online, another news portal, also reported that Najib was expected to replace some of his top ministers in a reshuffle soon.
“Najib has removed the main person who could mount a challenge for his leadership”, said Oh Ei Sun, an analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of global Studies in Singapore and Najib’s political secretary from 2009 to 2011.
The premier has denied taking money for personal gain and described the furor as part of a campaign to remove him from office.
Reuters was unable to verify the reports and a spokesman for the prime minister’s office declined to comment.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak (L) and Muhyiddin Yassin – pictured earlier in July 2015.
The attorney general’s office is on the task force investigating the money trail claims against Najib.
Najib said Tuesday’s reshuffle would strengthen the unity of the ruling coalition as it prepares for elections in 2018.
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Speaking about his supporters, Muhyiddin said he understands if they were raging or disheartened, but he believed that everyone would eventually see that he only has the interest of UMNO and the country at heart.
