KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 — Umno lawmakers were seen leaving Istana Negara after an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to reconfirm their support for Barisan Nasional’s candidate for prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob. 

Datuk Seri Najib Razak left at 11.28am in a black Proton Perdana, followed by Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin in a black Toyota Alphard and an unidentified MP in a black Volvo SUV.

Also sighted leaving the palace at 11.38am were Ketereh MP Tan Sri Annuar Musa, Jelebu MP Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias and Maran MP Datuk Seri Ismail Abd Muttalib.

A total of 114 MPs from PAS, MIC, MCA, as well as those who are independent have been summoned for an audience so the King can personally verify the support for Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, one of the two main contenders for prime ministership. 

The other candidate is Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The MPs had been instructed to submit their personal choices for prime minister and submit them to the palace before 4pm yesterday.

The session ended with Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan asserting that Ismail has the majority support to be the prime minister.

Ahmad said there were no discussions about other posts aside from the PM.

"There was no talk of Cabinet or other things, only focused on the statutory declarations towards Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob,” he said.

Yesterday, Comptroller of the Royal Household Datuk Indera Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin reminded all 220 MPs to submit their statutory declarations on their personal choice for prime minister to Istana Negara before 4pm on the same day the statement was issued.

In the same statement, Istana Negara highlighted that Yang di-Pertuan Agong is expected to chair a special meeting of the Conference of Rulers tomorrow over current national issues.