I Stay Loyal To UMNO, Not Joining Other Party, Says Malaysia's Former DPM

MUAR (Johor, Malaysia), Aug 1 (Bernama) -- Muhyiddin Yassin Friday said his loyalty to UMNO is unwavering and will not leave the sacred party to join another. Muhyiddin also reminded other parties especially the opposition not to exploit the situation by persuading him to leave UMNO (the United Malays National Organisation, Malaysia's largest political party) for their party. "There is no need to come to cajole me as such attempts are not welcome. "I am true to the struggle of UMNO, a Malay of UMNO spirit and I will never breach the trust of the party's struggle," he said when he was speaking after Friday prayers at Masjid Jamek Panchor (a mosque) here, Friday. Earlier Muhyiddin joined a congregation of almost 1,000 people for prayers at the mosque. The speech lasting more than 40 minutes was the first by Muhyiddin after being dropped from the latest Cabinet announced by Prime Minister Najib Razak recently who replaced Muhyiddin with Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as the Deputy Prime Minister. The return of Muhyiddin to his Pagoh Parliamentary constituency, his first trip after being dropped from the Cabinet, was fervently awaited by supporters and voters who wanted to know the future direction of the leader. The Pagoh MP said he still had an enormous party task for the race, religion and country as he was still the deputy president of UMNO. "I still have my tasks ahead. I am still UMNO deputy president and Barisan Nasional (National Front or BN, the ruling coalition in Malaysia) deputy chairman. I am entrusted to assist UMNO president on what else could be done to develop the nation and gain the people's support for the party in the interest of the religion and country," he said. He said he would carry out the duty and trust to his level best regardless of who is the UMNO president. "The UMNO deputy president is to assist UMNO president, irrespective of who is the Prime Minister including Najib. I will have to work and assist the Supreme Council as the political situation today is different from the past." Muhyiddin also said he was entitled to visit any UMNO divisions to officiate divisional delegates meeting as it was part of the duty of an UMNO deputy president. He said as the MP for Pagoh for 37 years he had served the people well and the residents of Pagoh could lay testimony to his achievements. -- BERNAMA