Muhyiddin together with UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal were among the ministers dropped from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's new Cabinet.
"Muhyiddin must be respected because he is still the party's deputy president. The same goes to Shafie," Khairy said at a press conference after the Barisan Nasional Youth meeting today.
"We must reject any kind of attacks against him. It is not our culture in UMNO. We must respect party leaders," Khairy said.
Describing the attacks on Muhyiddin as 'not very smart' moves, Khairy said if such attacks are allowed to go on, it can split the party.
"We must not allow any kind of splits in the party," Khairy stressed.
VIDEO: Muhyiddin Yassin on how he was told of his dismissal by Najib Razak
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"This is our leader. He has the rights to officiate party functions. He had also pledged his loyalty to the party so dropping him from the Cabinet does not have anything to do with his position in the party," he added.
