In a statement today, he said Muhyiddin’s dream to be Prime Minister has been destroyed, and his political career has ended in disgrace‎.

“Muhyiddin should now do the right thing for the country, the people, and the party that gave him so much – and fade away quietly,” he added.

Yesterday, Muhyiddin challenged Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to sue him if the alleged accusations of corruption involving 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)was false.

“Using 1MDB as an excuse, their vicious onslaught of smears and lies was not motivated by the interests of the country and the people, but solely to achieve their own selfish political ambitions,” he said.

Tengku Sariffuddin said Muhyiddin’s removal from the cabinet and Umno was his own doing.

“He saw a route to the top via a coup masterminded by Tun Mahathir (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad). It was a power grab against the principles of democracy, and it failed,” he added.

Tengku Sariffuddin also urged Muhyiddin to apologise to his constituents after the “chance revelation of a statutory declaration in court showed that Muhyiddin had committed infidelity for years with another man’s wife”. Muhyiddin should also apologise to the woman’s husband.

Referring to Muhyiddin’s threat to sue for defamation after reports were published about the court case, Tengku Shariffuddin said: “His decision not to sue, which is what he always challenges others to do, shows that the allegations are true.”