Najib swipes at Khalid Samad over remarks on Agong's PM choice

Former premier Najib Abdul Razak has taken a swipe at former federal territories minister Khalid Samad for allegedly having accused the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of being "racist" in his considerations on the appointment of the new prime minister.

"A former PH (Pakatan Harapan) minister snipes at another former PH minister.

"He (Khalid) dares to accuse the Agong of being racist," claims Najib (above) in a Facebook post, citing comments by former entrepreneur development minister Redzuan Yusof against Khalid, as reported by online portal Free Malaysia Today.

Najib also shared a video of the Amanah communication director's speech at a recent Harapan roadshow - first uploaded on the party's channel and made its rounds on social media - when he had allegedly alluded to the King's decision to appoint Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin as sparking the downfall of the Harapan federal government.

Redzuan, who is now aligned to the new Perikatan Nasional pact, had demanded Khalid to apologise over the remarks he claimed bordered on questioning the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s credibility.

"Who is Khalid to question the Constitution?

"He should not be casting doubts on the credibility of the Agong. Khalid should apologise," Redzuan was quoted as saying by FMT.

Khalid claimed that Harapan had the numbers needed to form a government, following the resignation of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, but the Agong was purportedly unconvinced.

"But the Agong was not confident, why? Because out of more than 100 MPs, only 40 were Malay and the non-Malays numbered more than 60," he said during a ceramah last Thursday.

Taking to Twitter today, Khalid (below) defended his remarks and instead insisted that Redzuan was the one who should apologise to the Agong.

"Redzuan should apologise to the Agong, not me. I love and respect the Agong too much to lie to him.

"Can Redzuan claim the same?," said the Shah Alam MP.

"You showed the utmost disrespect to King and country when you lied and claimed that Mahathir and five others supported Muhyiddin."

In the aftermath of Mahathir's resignation, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah had granted an audience to federal lawmakers who were interviewed for their choice of the eighth prime minister.

The King eventually consented to appoint Muhyiddin although Mahathir on March 1 said he was not granted a second audience to present the numbers to prove he commands the majority support of MPs.

Harapan has since indicated that it would push for a vote of no confidence against Muhyiddin in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat session.