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UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Puad Zarkashi has questioned whether Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin may continue to work together, following serious allegations raised between the two veteran political figures.
Puad said accusations that Muhyiddin had misappropriated party funds and kept the money at his residence were grave and deeply embarrassing.
“The accusation against Muhyiddin is very damaging and is putting him in a damaging position politically,” the Umno man said.
He also questioned why Muhyiddin has not taken legal action against Dr Mahathir over the allegations, suggesting that the absence of a defamation suit could signal political desperation ahead of the 16th General Election (GE16).
“Does this mean Muhyiddin is seeking Mahathir’s support to secure victory in GE16?” Puad asked in a statement.
Puad further raised concerns over Dr Mahathir’s credibility should he choose to cooperate with someone he has publicly accused of graft, describing such a move as contradictory and damaging to political integrity.
The issue surfaced after a two-minute video clip circulated widely on WhatsApp on Friday morning, purportedly showing Dr Mahathir accusing Muhyiddin of misappropriating party funds during a meeting between Johor Bersatu Youth wing members and the former Langkawi MP in Putrajaya earlier this week.
The video was accompanied by a caption alleging that Dr Mahathir claimed Muhyiddin wanted to become prime minister out of fear of being imprisoned.
In the recording, Dr Mahathir is heard saying that an unnamed individual “has a problem” and “wants to be prime minister not to serve” but because he is worried about going to jail.
Muhyiddin on the other hand has categorically denied allegations by the centenarian that he stole party funds and kept the money at his home, describing the claim as reckless, baseless and entirely untrue.
Muhyiddin said the accusation circulating in a viral video amounted to a wild assumption that had never occurred at any point during his involvement in the party’s leadership and management.
Despite the allegations, Muhyiddin said he continues to respect Dr Mahathir as an elder and acknowledged their past cooperation.
“However, I continue to respect Dr Mahathir as an elder. I have supported his efforts to promote Malay unity, and our relationship has been close,” he said.
Puad however said that the ongoing feud between Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin has contributed to an increasingly toxic political climate in Malaysia, calling on both leaders to step aside for the sake of the country’s political stability. – December 15, 2025