Request to remove UMNO minister with no party position merely speculation - Ahmad Maslan

KUALA LUMPUR: Rumours of a Cabinet reshuffle to remove a minister from UMNO who is not holding a key position in the party is merely speculation.

UMNO secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan stressed that the news, that was spread by unknown parties, should be disregarded.

"There is no press statement on this matter, but I inform you, I and Barisan Nasional (BN) Treasurer, Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor did hold a video conference at 6 pm last Wednesday with Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

"All the matters (discussed) were not made public, the Prime Minister asked us to rewrite what we wanted to say but I will not send anything until the UMNO Supreme Council (MT) meeting face to face in Pahang on Tuesday," he said when contacted here, on Friday.

Earlier, a portal reported that the UMNO Political Bureau was said to have given an ultimatum to Muhyiddin to reshuffle the Cabinet and remove the minister from the party who did not have a key position in the party.

According to the portal’s source, the request and several other requests were submitted to Muhyiddin by Ahmad and Tengku Adnan in a virtual conference.

The UMNO Political Bureau was also said to want all Cabinet appointments representing the party to take into account the hierarchy within UMNO.

In the meantime, Ahmad said, none of the matters discussed will be made public.

"We do not promise to mention what will be negotiated, often the matter negotiated is not told to others.

"There was no press statement from the Prime Minister and us on what was discussed, all that was said was just speculation by the relevant parties," he said.

Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Prof Dr Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani stressed that Muhyiddin did not appoint any UMNO Member of Parliament who had a case in court to avoid any disruption to the government administration.

He said it was up to the Prime Minister to appoint any MP who do not hold a party position for a certain portfolio in his administration.