PETALING JAYA: Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (pic) declined an offer to be the deputy prime minister out of respect for the party’s decision, says Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.
The Umno secretary-general said that Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had made the offer to Mohamad earlier this year.
“It is correct and the matter is accurate. However, it is best to invite the deputy president here to give his statements,” said Ahmad in a live-stream on Monday (Aug 9) night.
He added that Umno had suggested last October that the deputy prime minister’s post be given to Umno, but the proposal was ignored until the very last minute.
Ahmad said that the party had instructed him and Umno treasurer Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor to represent Umno to negotiate with the Prime Minister last October.
“We proposed a few matters, including the setting up of a presidential council to address the Covid-19 pandemic immediately, fix the economy, expedite the general election once the situation has improved and we also wanted the deputy prime minister’s post,” said Ahmad.
He said the proposal was only entertained a few hours before Umno decided to withdraw its support for Muhyiddin on July 7.
“What kind of friend is this? It is not the position that we are chasing but the sincerity,” added Ahmad Maslan.
He also said that Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi swore in front of several Umno lawmakers that he will not support PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to be the prime minister.
“The accusation that Ahmad Zahid will be together with Pakatan Harapan or DAP is baseless,” he said.
On July 7, Ahmad Zahid had announced that the party has withdrawn its support for the Perikatan Nasional government, claiming that the government has now lost its majority in the Dewan Rakyat.
