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Unwise to sack Muhyiddin, Shafie from Umno, says party leader

It would not be wise for Umno to sack deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and vice-president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal right now, given the many issues the party is facing, Umno minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said. Responding to rumours that the two are among seven leaders who will be booted from the party during next week's Supreme Council meeting, Rahman said he did not believe it would happen. “Deep down in my heart, I don’t think it will happen. I have not been consulted,” the Umno Supreme Council member told a press conference in Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur today. “Personally I don’t think it’s a wise thing to do, not at this time. I mean, we have enough on our plate at the moment.” However, Rahman, who is also minister of urban wellbeing, housing and local government, said he would not be in the country during the September 9 meeting. Besides Rahman, Umno deputy permanent chairman Tan Sri Mohamed Aziz has also advised against sacking more leaders as it would worsen things in the party. He recently said that such a move was not only unwise but would also cause anger among party members. A message circulating on Whatsapp is claiming that Muhyiddin and Shafie, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, Datuk Abdul Aziz Sheikh Fadzir, Datuk Seri Ahmad Said, Datuk Hamidah Osman and Datuk Jumat Idris will be axed from Umno in Wednesday's meeting. Those on the list have been vocal in demanding more answers regarding the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) saga from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. In July's Cabinet reshuffle, Muhyiddin was stripped of his deputy prime minister and education minister positions, while Shafie lost his rural and regional development minister post. Hamidah today said she was unperturbed by the rumours, and reiterated her call for Najib to resign to Malay daily Sinar Harian. Mukhriz, meanwhile, has said he would leave his fate in Umno to the party's leadership. Earlier today, Umno's Pasir Salak division chief Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman voiced his support for Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to take on the Umno deputy presidency. The Umno Supreme Council has postponed its meeting twice since the Cabinet reshuffle, as the party grapples with a backlash from the increasingly unhappy grassroots. – September 5, 2015.