SEVERAL Umno leaders facing criminal charges, including former president Najib Razak, backed Dr Mahathir Mohamad to continue leading the country at the height of Pakatan Harapan’s internal crisis in February, said Mukhriz Mahathir.

The former Kedah menteri besar said six or seven Umno leaders threw their support behind Dr Mahathir.

“Najib’s name was on top of the list even though he had mocked and ridiculed Dr Mahathir frequently online after he lost the 14th general election and was subsequently charged with various crimes,” Mukhriz told Insight Talk.

“There was a viral picture of all (the) party leaders meeting Tun (Dr Mahathir). Tun was holding a piece of paper. It was a list of all MPs who agreed to support him as prime minister and Najib’s name was on top of the list.

“Also on the list were current Umno president (Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) and other Umno MPs who were charged with various offences after Pakatan Harapan won federal power.”

Mukhriz, however, said Dr Mahathir looked at the list and could not accept the Umno leaders who were charged. That, he said, was his principle.

Dr Mahathir had always insisted that he would not work with corrupt Umno leaders whom he helped topple in GE14.

The Langkawi MP eventually could not present enough MPs to support him as the prime minister to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The Agong earlier met with all MPs and political party leaders to gauge their support for a new prime minister.

He then appointed Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin as the eighth prime minister. Muhyiddin then declared his coalition government as Perikatan Nasional.

Recalling what had transpired during the last Bersatu supreme council meeting in February which Dr Mahathir attended as the chairman, Mukhriz said everyone present agreed to back Dr Mahathir as the prime minister.

“The meeting agreed that we will not accept any support given by corrupt leaders. There was a list of names of the corrupt leaders and the supreme council unanimously agreed not to accept that.

“However, the president (Muhyiddin) disagreed. We were baffled as to why he needed corrupt leaders.

“Tun made it clear that he was not willing to work with corrupt Umno members. What was decided in that meeting was ignored.”

Later that day, the “Sheraton move” took place in which Muhyiddin pulled Bersatu out of PH, resulting in the collapse of the 22-month-old ruling pact.

He was then appointed as prime minister with the support of Umno, PAS and Sarawak’s ruling pact GPS.

Among those present at the meeting at the Sheraton Hotel were Muhyiddin, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, Zahid, Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, Azmin Ali and Zuraida Kamaruddin.

Mukhriz told Insight Talk that Dr Mahathir’s name was used by certain politicians during the incident.

“Tun did not come because he did not agree with the move. But his name was used as if the order to attend the meeting came from him. He was at home.

“Syed Saddiq (Syed Abdul Rahman, former youth and sports minister and Bersatu youth chief) was summoned by the president to be present at the hotel.

“I did not get any invitation,” Mukhriz added.

The rift between Muhyiddin and Dr Mahathir widened after that incident, ending with the latter and a few of his strong supporters, including Mukhriz, losing their Bersatu membership.

They then formed Pejuang last month, a Malay-based party which aims to mirror Bersatu’s principles fighting for Malay rights. Dr Mahathir is the founding chairman of Pejuang while Mukhriz is the president.

Najib, meanwhile, was found guilty of corruption and abuse of power for having received RM42 million in funds from SRC International by the high court in July.

The SRC International case is the first of five trials the 67-year-old Pekan MP is facing after GE14. – September 12, 2020.