Supporters show up in droves for ex-PM

Showing support: The crowd waiting for Muhyiddin outside the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya. — RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star

PUTRAJAYA: When news broke that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had been called up for questioning and was likely to be arrested, Perikatan Nasional members and supporters started coming in droves to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters here.

Shouting slogans like “Hidup Abah” and “lawan lawan”, the supporters became more boisterous as Perikatan MPs started to arrive from Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur.

Some supporters were seen wearing matching white T-shirts in a show of solidarity with the former prime minister.

The crowd got excited when a convoy of five vehicles arrived at about 11.15am.

Pushing and shoving ensued as supporters and journalists tried to get closer to Muhyiddin.

The Bersatu president got out of the black MPV and walked with other Perikatan politicians towards the MACC building as the crowd and journalists swarmed around.

Among the leaders were former ministers Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin, Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah.

Muhyiddin then went inside the MACC building.

Not long after that, the crowd dispersed peacefully, with many supporters going to the PAS party headquarters in Taman Melewar in Gombak, where prayers (solat hajat) were held for Muhyiddin’s well-being.

The situation outside Muhyiddin’s residence in Bukit Damansara was in stark contrast, with almost no one there except for members of the press corps.

A police car was seen entering the road into the area but left soon after.

Outside the MACC headquarters, Perikatan leaders slammed Muhyiddin’s arrest as “selective prosecution”.

“This is to cover up a big issue that has happened in Umno,” claimed PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

Hamzah, the Bersatu secretary-general, called it “political prosecution”, adding that Muhyiddin had told the leaders what had happened and was confident he had done nothing wrong.

Azmin Ali said the arrest was a move to “stifle the rise of the people”, while the party’s deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said the party’s financial matters were always handled carefully.

“All spending and money in and out are audited,” he said.