PUTRAJAYA, June 14 — Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin strongly denied today that Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and Datuk Rashid Hasnon are planning to leave the party in the wake of Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin’s departure.

He rubbished the rumours, saying that he has regular chats with Azmin about the party and its future.

"Why not say everyone wants to leave (Bersatu)? It will be the bigger story.

"As far as I know, it is a lie. I am close to Azmin. He is a minister from Bersatu, and we have plenty of discussions, not just about who’s in or who’s out, but also the future (of Bersatu),” he told a press conference here today.

Muhyiddin added that Bersatu seems to have a target on its back despite being a "small party.”

"During Hari Raya celebrations with them (Azmin and Rashid) this year, this was never raised.

"At the same time, why are people targeting us? We are just a small party,” he said.

Rumours first surfaced last week, and subsequently reported by the media, that Azmin, who is the international trade and industry minister, and Rashid, who is deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker and Batu Pahat MP, were leaving the party.

Meanwhile, Muhyiddin said he had already been in contact with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob over Zuraida’s role in Cabinet as the plantation industries and commodities minister.

"The prime minister said he will meet me after seeing Zuraida.

"Our stance, however, is that her position in Cabinet is because she was a Bersatu member and that quota (for the party) remains,” he said, but added that the final decision rests with the prime minister.

The Ampang MP announced that she had officially joined Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) on May 26 and offered to resign as minister since she was no longer with Bersatu, setting off a tussle over who would be her successor.

Two days later, Ismail Sabri said that Zuraida would be allowed to keep her ministerial portfolio until they meet, which has yet to happen at the time of writing as no date has been set.