KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) has announced today that it has the support of just 112 MPs to ask for the next Parliament sitting to resume on March 9 as scheduled, two less than it had initially claimed.

"This is the best opportunity to gauge the Prime Minister’s support and end the political turmoil that has gripped the nation the past week,” it said in a statement.

The pact also announced PKR secretary Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution as its new chief secretary, following the defection of Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah last week.

Saifuddin was was among the MPs aligned with Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali that left PKR in a power tussle that has seen a change in federal government for Malaysia.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and PH had scrambled to assemble a list to prove that he has the nomination of 114 MPs last night, therefore the majority out of the 222-member Dewan Rakyat.

However, Bukit Gantang MP Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal and Sri Aman MP Masir Kujat reportedly denied supporting Dr Mahathir as prime minister.

Their denial brings the number of MPs supporting Dr Mahathir down to 112 but as of late last night, Hulu Selangor MP June Leow’s name was added to list bringing the total to 113.

It is uncertain who else has dropped out from the list.

Dr Mahathir said earlier that PH will call for an urgent sitting of the Parliament to prove that it has the majority instead.

The interim prime minister also warned that the sitting must be done soon as the new federal government may attempt to postpone it as long as they can, leading to fears that the 114 MPs that support Dr Mahathir to be induced to defect to the other side.