KUALA LUMPUR: The Perikatan Nasional extraordinary meeting that was scheduled for Thursday night (29 January) had to be called off as an effort to control a “storm in a teacup”, says Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.
Takiyuddin, who is the Perikatan deputy secretary general said Presidents of the coalition’s component parties had received a letter from Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, inviting them to what was described as a pre-council meeting.
“The Bersatu President wrote a letter to all the presidents of PAS, Gerakan and MIPP, to invite all three of them to the pre-council meeting,” he said in a press conference in Parliament which was also attended by the Opposition chief Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin and the coalition's MPs on Thursday(Jan 29).
“I do not know what was the basis for the meeting (or) whether it was on the basis of the Presidents Council. Although the Presidents Council existed in the (Perikatan) constitution, it was never established. (I) do not know who is in it.”
“As far as we know the President’s Council was never established. It could have been an invitation to have coffee,” said Takiyuddin, who is also the PAS secretary-general.
According to Takiyuddin, Muhyiddin had stated that the extraordinary meeting was inappropriate(not necessary) and should be called off.
“On that basis, the deputy secretary-general had to release a notice to call off the meeting tonight in an attempt to control the storm in the teacup,” he said.
“How to hold a meeting when the Presidents were called for another meeting at the same time at a different location.It is impossible for one person to be present at two different locations at the same time. That is why it was cancelled,” he added.
The leaders of the component parties are expected to meet at Muhyiddin’s residence.
Hamzah, however, confirmed that he was not invited to the meeting.
"With no invitation, how can I attend?”the Bersatu deputy president said.
On Monday (Jan 26), Takiyuddin announced that Perikatan would hold an emergency supreme council meeting on Jan 29 at Gerakan headquarters in Cheras at 8.30pm.
He said the meeting would have three agenda items: First, to appoint a meeting chairman from among Perikatan’s deputy chairmen; second, to approve Muhyiddin’s resignation in accordance with the coalition’s constitution; and third, upon approval, to appoint a new Perikatan chairman.
“I invite all supreme council members to attend this emergency meeting. There are 16 supreme council members in total, including myself,” he said.
However, Takiyuddin said invitations were not extended to individuals who had already resigned.
“When Muhyiddin’s resignation took effect on Jan 1, he became functus officio," Takiyuddin said then.
The issue of who will replace Muhyiddin as Perikatan chairman became a point of contention when PAS stated that it need not be held by a party president.
