PETALING JAYA: If it is true Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has tried to secure MPs' support to become premier again, then Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and Pakatan Harapan have reneged on their pledge of support for the Prime Minister, says Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

       The Barisan Nasional advisory board chairman was referring to a remark by Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, who claimed that Muhyiddin had called him two months ago to get his backing to be prime minister again.

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       "If it's true (it means that) on the surface, Pakatan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's government.

       "On the surface, Bersatu also supported Ismail Sabri. But from behind the scenes, they are silently collecting support to topple Ismail Sabri," he said in a Facebook post on Monday (May 30).

       Najib, who is also Pekan MP, subsequently challenged Muhyiddin to prove he had the support,

       "If you really have the support of 119 MPs, you should immediately press the button," he said.

       At an event in Libaran, Sandakan on Sunday (May 29), Shafie claimed that Muhyiddin – who is Bersatu president and Perikatan Nasional chairman – told him that he had the backing of 119 MPs in the 222-member Dewan Rakyat.

       Shafie also claimed that he discussed the matter with PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who he said was agreeable to supporting Muhyiddin.

       "I told him (Muhyiddin), if you have the numbers, go ahead, I won't follow you," Shafie said in Libaran.

       The Star has reached out to several Bersatu leaders to confirm Shafie's claims and is still awaiting a response.

       Muhyiddin was appointed prime minister following the fall of Pakatan Harapan after the Sheraton Move in February 2020.

       After just 17 months in power, Muhyiddin tendered his resignation in August after a group of Umno MPs led by party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi withdrew support for him.

       Ismail Sabri was subsequently appointed prime minister, and signed an MoU for bipartisanship with Pakatan in September to restore political stability.

       Umno had decided on April 14 that the MoU should not be extended after its July 31 deadline.