Over 1,000 people turned up in Kampung Baru tonight to hear Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin speak before the Umno general assembly officially opens tomorrow.

Muhyiddin entered the Sultan Sulaiman Club hall at 8.30pm together with former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Umno vice-president Shafie Apdal.

Most of those in attendance were packed into the sweltering hall but about 300 were gathered outside the club listening to the speech which is being projected onto a screen.

The event kicked off with the crowd singing the national anthem as well as the Umno party song.

Having treaded carefully since he was sacked as deputy prime minister, Muhyiddin tonight said Umno has a "grave integrity issue".

He shied from telling Najib to step down, but told the prime minister to "take a break" pending investigation on state investment firm and Najib's brainchild, 1MDB.

He said many are now clamouring for Umno president Najib Abdul Razak's resignation.

"Do the right thing, for the interest of the people and the country. This is is our request," he said.

The mere mention of calls for Najib to resign elicited roaring applause from the crowd.

We've lost that loving feeling

Muhyiddin said under the current leadership, the govenrment has lost touch with the people.

"We lost that loving feeling. We lost touch, care, concern.

"The government is not concerned with the livelihood of simple folk," he said.

He said Malays can survive without Umno, but Umno cannot survive without Malays.

"Umno can't be oblivious of this malaise," he said.

Against normal practice, Muhyiddin has been barred from officiating the AGMs of the various Umno wings tomorrow.

Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor has said that the party will only decide later whether or not to allow Muhyiddin to wrap up the main body's AGM before Najib on Saturday.

He also warned Muhyiddin against " crossing the line " tonight, or face action from Umno.

Muhyiddin said putting gag orders on an AGM is barring the grassroots from speaking their minds.

"Is there no democracy in Umno, or is there only democracy for the president's supporters?

"If criticising the president is against the party constitution then there is no democracy.

"When did the president become above to criticism?" Muhyiddin asked.

TEKS UCAPAN YB TAN SRI DATO’ HJ MUHYIDDIN HJ MOHD YASSINTIMBALAN PRESIDEN UMNO DI MAJLIS BERSAMA TIMBALAN PRESIDEN...

Posted by Muhyiddin Yassin on Monday, December 7, 2015

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