PM and Muhyiddin inked deal for a DPM from Bersatu in August 2021, claims aide

PETALING JAYA: The agreement between the Prime Minister and Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to appoint a deputy prime minister from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) is real and was signed on Aug 17, 2021, claims the former premier's aide.

Datuk Dr Marzuki Mohamad, who was Muhyiddin's principal private secretary during his time as premier, said the deal was also witnessed by a minister from Bersatu and another minister from Umno.

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However, he did not name the two ministers in the statement released on Saturday (July 9).

Muhyiddin, who Perikatan Nasional chairman, resigned as prime minister on Aug 16, 2021.

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Marzuki also said a clause in this agreement stated that the agreement document cannot be published or mentioned in any form.

"It (the agreement) was only to be kept for references of both parties," he said.

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There are varying accounts regarding the deal to appoint a deputy prime minister from Bersatu.

The matter was first revealed by Muhyiddin in a recent meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob last Saturday (July 2) to discuss political appointments including the deputy premier post.

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Muhyddin claimed that the appointment of a deputy prime minister from Bersatu was part of the agreement between Perikatan Nasional and Ismail Sabri.

However, Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan disputed that there was such an agreement, which was later rebutted by Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan.

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Wan Saiful also claimed that Umno's Tan Sri Annuar Musa was one of the witnesses.

After Wan Saiful's statement, Perikatan coalition member party PAS issued another denial, with party president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang saying there was no such agreement.

"No deputy prime minister. There were discussions but no decisions because we are busy with people's issues," the Marang MP told reporters at the Rusila Mosque in Marang, Terengganu on Saturday (July 9).

Muhyiddin, who is also Perikatan chairman, was prime minister for 17 months following the events of the Sheraton move in March 2020.

He resigned in August 2021 after a group of Umno MPs retracted support for him as prime minister.