THE Umno Supreme Council is meeting again tonight, purportedly to discuss its choice for the position of deputy prime minister, said several sources.

They said appointing someone from the party to the position was the basis for the party’s continued support for Perikatan Nasional and Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Tonight’s meeting would be the second time the Malay party’s highest decision-making body is meeting in four days, after its four-hour meeting on Monday.

Supreme Council members, in confirming the meeting, said it was to discuss the way forward and the candidate for deputy prime minister from among its ranks.

Another source said the meeting was called as they had learnt Muhyiddin had picked his deputy without consulting the party.

“It’s our right to decide,” he said on the choice of candidate.

Over the last few days, rumours have swirled that Muhyuddin was going to reshuffle his cabinet formed last March and also appoint a deputy prime minister.

Among the names bandied about for the position is deputy president Mohamad Hasan, vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob and former vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein.

Mohamad is not an MP, while Ismail Sabri is senior minister in charge of defence and Hishammuddin is foreign minister.

However, Hishammuddin has denied rumours linking him to the position, amid talk he was among the top three in Umno running for the portfolio.

“I wish to say I have not put in any effort towards becoming the deputy prime minister.

“In fact, I want to thank Umno for supporting me to become one of the ministers in the government today,” said the minister in a Facebook post.

He said Umno and the government should focus on next week’s Parliament sitting, Budget 2021 and the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It should not focus on positions. This is in line with the Umno president and Supreme Council’s decision this week,” said the former party vice-president. – October 29, 2020.