Guan Eng denies meeting Muhyiddin to overthrow Najib

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng is denying that he met with former deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to overthrow Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, August 8, 2015. 

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today denied that he met with former deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to overthrow Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Lim said he never met Muhyiddin privately, whether individually or in a group.

“I never met Muhyiddin to overthrow the prime minister. I never met him outside official functions.

“The only time I've met him was when he was chairing official meetings with chief ministers and menteris besar," he told reporters in Penang today.

Lim was responding to a claim published in an online news portal that he had met Muhyiddin, who was sacked as deputy prime minister and removed from Cabinet after he openly questioned and criticised Najib over the handling of debt-ridden 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, said the rumour about him meeting Muhyiddin, who is Umno deputy president, was likely aimed at diverting attention away from unanswered questions about 1MDB.

He said the main issue was why the government seemed to be trying to cover up the investigation.

“Why did they transfer the two directors from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)? The MACC number two is now telling the government to return his men and take him instead.

“People are talking like this. It has come to this. All (in) the civil service are unhappy, and Malaysians are also unhappy.

“Why is it that investigating agencies are prevented from doing their jobs?” he said.

Yesterday, MACC director (special operations) Datuk Bahri Mohamad Zin and MACC director of strategic communications Datuk Rohaizad Yaakob were transferred to the Prime Minister’s Department with immediate effect. Both are expected to report to the department on Monday.

The sudden transfer came following a raid at MACC’s office and the detention and questioning of several senior MACC officials, including Bahri, over an alleged leak of information on a probe into 1MDB.

After the transfers, MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull told reporters that the two only acted according to his orders and asked for his men to be returned to the commission.

- TMI