Malaysia Ruling Party Suspends Deputy Head as Najib Cements Hold
- Najib removed Muhyiddin as deputy premier from Cabinet in July
- Muhyiddin had asked Najib to step down pending investigations
Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, and Najib Razak, Malaysia's Prime Minister.
Photographer: Goh Seng Chong/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Malaysia’s ruling party suspended its second-in-command Muhyiddin Yassin for undermining the organization in his quest to oust Prime Minister Najib Razak, the latest indication of the premier strengthening his grip on power after months of political turmoil.
Muhyiddin’s suspension as deputy president of the United Malays National Organisation will be in effect until the next party elections, Secretary-General Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor told reporters in Kuala Lumpur. UMNO’s Supreme Council deliberated for two hours over the decision at a meeting Friday, he said. The next party elections are due by 2018.