Malaysia PM's party sacks two prominent members

By P Prem Kumar

KUALA LUMPUR

Malaysia's ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) has sacked two prominent members, as it efforts to clamp down on discontent with the leadership of the party from within its ranks.

Former Deputy Premier Muhyiddin Yassin and ex-state Chief Minister Mukhriz Mahathir, who were removed from executive duties last July and February respectively, were kicked out of UMNO -- Prime Minister Najib Razak's political party -- on Friday for internal criticism.

Razak, who is also the UMNO President, told a press conference later today that the party's supreme council had unanimously decided on the sacking, since both Yassin and Mahathir had shared the same stage as opposition parties to condemn both him and the government.

Mahathir is the son of former prime minister and Razak's fiercest critic Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who is also Malaysia's longest serving statesman.

"The supreme council had decided unanimously to sack Muhyiddin Yassin and Mukhriz Mahathir for indiscipline especially since they were on the stump with the opposition and in their speeches attacked the party and its leadership," Razak said after chairing Friday's UMNO supreme council meeting.

"That is a very big offence," he underlined

Yassin and Mahathir were part of a campaign to oust Razak led by Mohamad, while the trio recently joined Hope Pact's campaign at the Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar by-elections.

UMNO won in both contests with stronger majorities, defeating the Malaysian Islamic Party and its splinter group National Honest Party -- which was endorsed by the trio.

UMNO is the major political party in the National Alliance, which has ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957.

Yassin was removed for continuously criticizing Razak over $681 million in political donations found deposited into his personal bank accounts, and the failure of state wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Yassin has called his removal from an elected position undemocratic, claiming it was brokered by Razak due to a personal vengeance, and followed up by UMNO's supreme council as a favor to the premier.

Yassin joins imprisoned former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim as the only two deputy prime ministers sacked while holding positions.

Last February, Mahathir announced his resignation as chief minister of Kedah, a northern Malaysian state.