Mr Najib is under pressure over leaked confidential documents that allegedly show the money, from state investment fund 1MDB, went into his personal accounts.
In addition to Mr Cameron’s official programme of events in Malaysia, the Prime Minister’s national security adviser Sir Kim Darroch will meet the daughter of Anwar Ibrahim, a former deputy prime minister and prominent critic of Mr Najib.
Mr. Najib has come under intense scrutiny since The Wall Street Journal reported on July 2 that investigators believe almost $700 million was deposited in the prime minister’s personal bank accounts after moving between agencies, banks and companies linked to 1MDB.
The government said it also was replacing attorney general Abdul Gani Patail for health reasons, with former Federal Court judge Mohamed Apandi Ali taking the role.
Muhyiddin said in a statement Tuesday that he respects Najib’s right to decide his cabinet.
Members of the Cabinet should not air their difference in an open forum that can affect public opinion against the Government and Malaysia.
“The decision to replace Muhyiddin was a very hard one, but I had to do it so that a strong team can move forward”, noted Razak during the announcement.
In a hastily-convened press conference in Putrajaya on Tuesday, Mr Najib had confirmed rumours that Muhyiddin will be replaced by Mr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Prime Minister also did his bit to boost exports of British ales, telling his audience: “I know that we are standing in the world’s third fastest-growing beer market, so let me tell you that we have some pretty good brews down our way as well”.
“Najib has removed the main person who could mount a challenge for his leadership”, said Oh Ei Sun, an analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of global Studies in Singapore and Najib’s political secretary from 2009 to 2011.
Political experts say that despite public outrage over 1MDB, Mr Najib is secure within UMNO owing to the party’s deep-rooted patronage politics and the great power invested in the prime minister’s office.
“I do not feel threatened over my position in UMNO, I am still deputy party president, ” he said.
“In Johor, I will not have any issues with the Umno divisions that have or want to invite him (Muhyiddin) to officiate their divisional meetings”, Khaled said. However, this process should take place in cabinet as part of the decision-making process.
But he accepted his sacking and gave no indication he planned to wage a campaign against Najib. He also sacked four cabinet ministers Mohd Shafie Apdal, Hasan Malek, G. Palanivel and Ewon Ebin and appointed seven new ministers.
He revealed he had urged Mr Najib to step down from 1MDB, where he serves as chairman on its board of advisers.
Prior to the meeting, Muhyiddin, who was Education Minister, was in Sendayan, Negri Sembilan, to open the Matrix Global Schools campus.
“The unwarranted termination of the attorney general’s services is in sequel to a series of administrative orders that have impeded and undermined the investigations into 1MDB”.
