PASIR GUDANG: The meeting between former Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the Sultan of Johor yesterday was just a courtesy call to the palace.
Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khalid Nordin, who is also Umno State Liason committee chairman, admitted that he was present during the casual meeting between Muhyiddin and Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar at Istana Bukit Serene on Sunday afternoon.
However, Khaled said he was unaware what had transpired in the half an hour meeting between Muhyiddin and Sultan Ibrahim that was held in the palace's study room.
"I was not in the meeting and was not aware of what was discussed between them," he said.
Khalid said Muhyiddin and the ruler only went out off the study room 30 minutes later and all of them including Permaisuri of Johor Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultan Idris Shah and Muhyiddin's wife Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman joined for an evening tea.
"There were no talks of politics or matters related to Muhyiddin's affair in the party during the tea session with Tuanku," Khaled told reporters after the Johor government entrepreneurship development scheme program launching.
The new scheme, called DropCash, is designed to help youth who are keen to do online business by empowering knowledge and steps to be successful in the area.
Khalid said to his knowledge Muhyiddin's meeting with the palace was only to convey his thanks to Sultan Ibrahim during his stint as the deputy prime minister.
On the matter of conflicting views between certain quarters in Umno on Muhyiddin's dismissal from cabinet, Khalid said his previous statement still stand as the power of to reshuffle the Cabinet is the prerogative of the prime minister.
"It is different compared to the party system where the right to chose the party leadership lies on the party members," he said.