KUALA LUMPUR, 22 Sept 2008: Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today it is up to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to decide whether to hand over power earlier than June 2010.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, he believed that Abdullah knew what was happening on the ground.
“We leave it to the prime minister and party president to think about that. I do not think it is a necessity to put pressure or say more about that,” Muhyiddin said.
Muhyiddin’s comments came after several Umno supreme council members said over the weekend that there was no pressure on Abdullah to step down before June 2010 as agreed by Abdullah and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.
Answering a question on whether the power transition should take place before 9 Oct when Umno divisions will begin their annual meetings to nominate candidates for party posts, Muhyiddin said, there was no need to exert pressure on anybody on the matter.
He said Abdullah was fully aware of what was happening at the grassroots level.
“He has much information available from his officials and political sources to evaluate what has been going on down there (at the grassroots level),” he said.
Abdullah had indicated that an early transition plan was possible and that he might want to leave earlier than the June 2010 deadline.
Muhyiddin, who is International Trade and Industry Minister, was speaking to reporters after delivering his keynote address at the Malaysia-Japan Business Forum organised by the Malaysia-Japan Economic Association (Majeca) here today. – Bernama
