Mukhriz had to resign after being ticked off by Najib

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir said he had to vacate his Kedah Mentri Besar seat because he was rebuked by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak for chiding him.
In a video clip uploaded on www.mukhrizmahathirfc.com, Mukhriz was heard telling his supporters that his resignation was not for his failure in administering Umno and Kedah, but rather Najib's dissatisfaction over his criticism of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and the RM2.6 billion controversy.
"This matter was admitted personally to me by the prime minister himself. He was not satisfied, resented my speech in Saloma Bistro (in December 2015).
"He told me directly that it was not right for a mentri besar to say such things to him as a prime minister. And because of that, I had to resign," he said.
It is believed that Najib had had enough of Mukhriz after the Saloma Bistro incident, which saw the latter hosting a meet and greet dinner for Kedah Umno delegates, and delivering a speech slamming Najib's handling of the state investment arm.
Also present at the dinner were former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is Mukhriz's father, Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and vice-president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, three of Najib's biggest critics.
Mukhriz said when he met Najib in Langkawi last month, the premier had also not mentioned anything about his disappointment over the former's "inability" to administer the party or the state government.
"The only thing he said to me was that he was upset because I had chided him in my speech," he said.
Mukhriz went on to say that he was forced to open his mouth because it concerned the integrity of the leader of the country, and that his voice represented the rakyat who wanted to know the truth.
Explaining further on the RM2.6 billion, he said he had only brought up the matter after it was revealed by foreign press.
"We cannot have a leader at the highest level whose integrity is being questioned and doubted. And it is because of that that I was forced to speak on behalf of Kedah and Malaysia as a whole," he said.