KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 — Following a surprise announcement by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today that he had enough support to topple Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has said that many Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs are also behind the PKR president.

Zahid, who is also BN chairman, said that he was told many MPs have stated their support for Anwar to form the new government and that he respected their stand.

"Umno and BN cannot prevent its MPs from supporting Anwar, who is seeking an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to inform him of his intentions,” he said in a statement here today.

Zahid also stressed that Umno and BN are not officially part of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition and that any form of support came from individual elected representatives

"Support for the PN government is based on the support of individual MPs only,” he said.

Earlier today, Anwar announced that he had a "formidable majority” within Parliament to topple Muhyiddin’s government.

Stopping short of stating the exact numbers and naming the MPs, Anwar said they were mostly Malay-Muslim, and that their support was conditional upon his being granted an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong first.

Amanah and DAP have declared support for Anwar, but Sarawak’s Gabungan Parti Sarawak, or GPS, have said they are firmly behind Muhyiddin.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is currently hospitalised at the National Heart Institute where he is receiving treatment for an unspecified ailment.