Mocking the words of Zahid Hamidi this morning when he said “It’s all God’s will” that he was appointed the new deputy prime minister in place of Muhyiddin Yassin, Zaid Ibrahim said he hoped to see the day when Prime Minister Najib Razak would fall because it was “God’s will” that he should.
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“This is not something new, it has been done by former prime ministers”, he was quoted telling reporters after launching the 15th Defence Services Asia Exhibition here.
The DAP Parliamentary leader said the meeting was also necessary to ensure that investigations into 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) remained unhindered.
His replacement as attorney general, Apandi, is a former federal court judge with strong UMNO ties.
“I welcome vigorous debate, and can accept dissent and criticism”, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said earlier today during his announcement on the cabinet reshuffle.
“Nevertheless, I thank Muhyiddin for all his work and dedication to the Government and country, as I do all those ministers who are no longer in the Cabinet”.
In a televised address, Najib announced he had dumped Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who has been critical of Najib’s handling of the affair and has called for transparency.
Mr Najib doubles as finance minister and is party chief.
Over the past year a series of investigative reports have alleged that hundreds of millions of dollars of 1MDB money had gone missing in complex and murky overseas transactions.
The fund has debts of more than $11 billion and is being investigated by authorities for financial mismanagement and graft.
Fears that it may require a massive bailout have contributed to a slide in the ringgit currency to 17-year lows.
“I have my own principles and stand in defense of people’s rights”, the statement said. I was his political secretary when he was the Youth and Sports Minister.
He said the sacking of Sabahan Shafie Apdal must also be God’s will as this minister’s presence had the potential to “open a small window for Sabahans to vote Najib out of office”.
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According to media reports at the weekend, Muhyiddin had warned that Barisan Nasional, the ruling coalition of which UMNO is the major party, would lose power if it did not do better at explaining the 1MDB scandal to the public.
