Dr M: Umno leaders have ‘crossed over’

PUTRAJAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Moha­mad is not expecting any trouble in Umno although Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had sacked his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

In his trademark sarcasm, the former prime minister remarked that this was because Umno leaders are now “committed” to Najib’s leadership, with many having a “change of heart”.

“It looks to me like that,” he said yesterday after launching former Information Minister Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin’s book Mahathir Bukan Kawan Saya (Mahathir is not my friend) here.

Responding to questions on whether Umno leaders were still committed to Najib after he had sacked Muhyiddin, Dr Mahathir said he could see a change in the number of leaders who used to drop by to see him prior to the reshuffle.

“I don’t know what is in their heart because some of them came to see me (before this) complaining about this and that.

“Now, they don’t see me anymore, because they have crossed over,” he said.

Dr Mahathir said one of the ­reasons he became vocal on matters such as 1Malaysia Development Bhd was due to the complaints he had received.

On comments that Najib appeared to be following his track record of having removed a deputy, Dr Mahathir said he had not sacked anyone merely because they were not supportive of him.

“(Former deputy prime minister Tun) Musa (Hitam) resigned on his own. I did not ask him to resign.

“I found that (Datuk Seri) Anwar (Ibrahim) had committed something that I could not accept,” he added.