The Malaysian Insight

SOCIAL media users today panned Muhyiddin Yassin for saying that his decision not to work with kleptocrats nor interfere in the judicial process ultimately ended his tenure as the prime minister.

Malaysians took to Twitter to remind the former prime minister that he had come to power last year by working “with kleptocrats”.

They told him that he had schemed with the said group during the Sheraton Move, which led to the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government and the rise of Perikatan Nasional.

“Muhyiddin just announced that he rejected the cooperation of kleptocrats to stay in power. He betrayed PH and formed the PN with whose support? Requested for kleptocrat’s support to become PM,” @dhiahariz tweeted.

@AinulMasriC, meanwhile, suggested a line Muhyiddin should have said in his parting speech to the nation:

“I became PM because of the support of kleptocrats. But now the kleptocrats are no longer supporting me, so how am I supposed to be PM.”

@BasNorizan tweeted that Muhyiddin rose with (the help of) traitors and kleptocrats and now they have become the reason for his downfall.

@SharirShazni added that the Pagoh MP did not mind that his allies were kleptocrats when they betrayed PH.

“When they betrayed (PH) before, (he) didn’t mind (whether) they were kleptocrats. Still hugged.

“This is called politics, it is not strange,” he said.

@iffukhriz0766 said Muhyiddin should thank the kleptocrats for his having experienced being the prime minister.

Earlier today, following his resignation from the prime minister’s post, Muhyiddin addressed the nation and said he could have taken the easy way out by working with the “kleptocrats” to remain in power.

“But I did not choose that. I will not work with kleptocrats and interrupt the judicial process, or turn my back against the federal constitution to stay in power,” said the 74-year-old whose administration is the shortest at 532 days.

Muhyiddin came to power last March with support from Umno, which is led by Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who is currently facing 87 charges in court.

His eventual downfall was the result of a “revolt” by Zahid and a group of 14 other Umno lawmakers, some of whom are also facing criminal charges, including former prime minister Najib Razak.

Apart from having to manage the Covid-19 pandemic, Muhyiddin’s 17 months in power had been marked by controversy that included instituting an eight-month emergency rule to stop Parliament from meeting.

Muhyiddin said although he had initially proposed to have his legitimacy tested in Parliament through a confidence motion, the withdrawal of 15 Umno MPs and the opposition’s rejection of his offer for reforms in exchange for support meant he had lost the majority support. – August 16, 2021.