Stop speculation on PM resigning: Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR: Any speculation on the Prime Minister stepping down should be put to an end because it creates political uncertainty that may affect the country's image and create worries among local and foreign investors, said Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Muhyiddin, who is International Trade and Industry Minister, said whatever speculation involving the country's leader was not good and it might be a deliberate ploy by certain parties with ill intent.
"If you go to another country and there is similar speculation about the country's leader, it will create worries whether there is any truth to it or not," he told reporters Thursday after his official visit to the Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Bhd (MIDF) here.
"Political uncertainties caused by such speculation in any country, will not benefit the country. It will lead to great losses because people will be worried and fearful about what will happen and whether there will be changes in terms of leadership and government. That is what we don't want."
Muhyiddin was asked to comment on whether such speculation should be put to a stop.
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had on Wednesday denied the speculation following calls by some leaders, including former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, that he should step down to assume responsibility for Barisan Nasional’s poor showing in the March general election.
Asked whether such calls for Abdullah to step down were appropriate, Muhyiddin said: "That is their own assessment. It is a matter of individual perception. They want to make such demands. That is their right but as I said, it creates all sorts of speculation. It is up to them to consider whether it is appropriate or not."
On his personal view whether such calls were appropriate, he said: "What's important is that it is not me. What's important are the people who made such calls. They make the consideration whether to make such calls or not. Whatever it is, it is a political statement."
When asked whether Barisan Nasional and Umno needed a strong leader to reform the ruling coalition and the party, he said, "In any political party, you need a strong leadership to move things through and to improve the situation and to regain the loss of confidence of the public."
Asked whether Abdullah could provide the strong leadership needed to revive Barisan and Umno, he said, "That's up to you to perceive. I don't want to answer that question."
Pressed further, he said, "We work on a collective basis. (There is) not just one leader in Umno. There are many leaders in the party. We don't just depend on one leader. It's a collective responsibility."
On whether he would consider that Umno was facing a crisis since the calls for the Prime Minister to resign came from within the party, he said, "It is not a full-blown crisis. It will be a full-blown crisis if things are not managed well."
When asked to comment on former Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat's statement that Umno and the Malays were on the verge of losing power after Barisan lost several states to the Opposition, Muhyiddin said that many Umno and Malay leaders expressed similar sentiments.
"Some even regard that Umno is in the danger zone. It is good that some felt that way because if we are careless it could lead to disaster. It is a reminder for us to rectify our weaknesses."
Asked on the weaknesses that led Umno to the danger zone, he said, "We acknowledge certain matters like leadership, machinery, the Opposition pounding many issues and using technology, Internet, websites and blogs to influence voters, attitudes adopted by voters and internal problems within the party in terms of choosing the right candidates."

tunku :speculations won't make pak lah resign and if it happen then it's good news.but one thing for sure is that if pak lah resign,70% of the umno and bn's problem will be solved.