February 4, 2022
PAGOH – The country’s two former prime ministers continue to trade barbs with Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin now calling on Datuk Seri Najib Razak to focus on bringing political stability to the country instead of raising issues that were resolved long ago.
The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president questioned Najib’s motive for bringing up issues related to the Sabah election in 2020.
“I find it weird and amazing that a former prime minister like him can continue raising issues that have already been resolved.
“The Sabah government has already been formed and is working very well with good cooperation and understanding.
“I don’t know what else he wants to uncover … (or) his tricks and motive,” he said after launching Perikatan Nasional’s Jualan Prihatin Rakyat programme here on Friday (Feb 4).
Muhyiddin was responding to Najib’s claims that the Perikatan chairman tried to undermine Barisan Nasional during the Sabah polls.
He also questioned why Najinb was allegedly “picking a fight” and “causing instability in the country.
“He should instead be focusing on maintaining stability.
“Sabah is a unique state where we (Bersatu) are still with Umno under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah umbrella,” said Muhyiddin.
Najib – who is among Bersatu’s fiercest critics from Umno – had claimed that Muhyiddin had planned to name Sabah Bersatu chief Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor as chief minister candidate all along, refuting Muhyiddin’s earlier Facebook post on Thursday (Feb 3).
In the post, Muhyiddin claimed that he had asked Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to submit a name from Umno, but the latter did not do so until the end of the campaign period.
“But the Internet does not forget. The day he said Hajiji would be the chief minister of Sabah was Sept 12, 2020, which was the beginning of the Sabah polls campaign period,” Najib posted on Facebook, along with screenshots of news articles to back up his claim.
He also challenged Muhyiddin’s claim that Hajiji would be chief minister only if the Perikatan coalition won the most seats.
On Jan 30, Najib said Perikatan’s decision to “betray and contest against Barisan” in the 2020 Sabah election led to the fallout of Bersatu’s potential alliance in Muafakat Nasional.
He said the incident occurred less than three weeks after the invitation letter for Bersatu to join Muafakat, which was founded by Umno and PAS, was signed in August 2020.
Perikatan, said Najib, fielded candidates to fight Barisan in 17 state seats in the Sabah election and independent candidates in six other constituencies contested by Barisan to “split our votes”.