MELAKA: Barisan Nasional leaders who disagree with the unity government's policies and leadership should consider leaving the administration rather than publicly criticising it, says Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The Bersatu president said that if he were prime minister, he would have removed leaders who disagreed with him and reshuffled the Cabinet.
"I would have sacked them long ago. I would reshuffle the Cabinet to ensure that those who disagree with me could not remain there, or even continue to be part of the government," he said after visiting the Bachang market on Saturday (Nov 7) to campaign for Bersatu's Pengkalan Batu candidate Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee.
He said Barisan leaders held positions including deputy prime minister, ministers and deputy ministers in the unity government, adding that they should resolve disagreements through discussions within their respective parties or at Cabinet level.
"Usually, the basic principle is that if you are part of the government, you should not criticise the government you belong to or the parties within it. This is a very basic principle and has been the practice for a long time," he said, according to Sin Chew Daily.
Muhyiddin also questioned the exchanges between the Prime Minister and Cabinet members.
He said differences within the administration could affect the implementation of government policies and programmes, and that political stability was important to ensure the government delivered on its promises.
Although he welcomed divisions within the unity government from the perspective of an opposition leader, Muhyiddin said the government should remain focused on addressing people's concerns, including income, the economy and the cost of living.
On DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke's announcement that he would resign as Transport Minister the moment former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was to start serving his sentence under house arrest, Muhyiddin said he understood Loke's position.
"That is his view. He is a senior politician, and we know his position and circumstances. I also know him personally," he said.
Muhyiddin said Loke's decision reflected DAP's position on matters related to Najib's case.
