KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 — Umno veteran Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad today said that it is now up to the Umno MPs under Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to prove that the new government is more effective than the previous two governments.

He congratulated Ismail Sabri for being chosen to lead the Barisan Nasional (BN), Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition.

In a Facebook post, he said that during an interview on Astro Awani’s "Consider This” talk show,  he was asked about Umno nominating Ismail Sabri as its candidate for the prime minister’s post, adding that he had one simple answer. 

"MPs were asked to nominate only one candidate, the party was not asked. So the Umno supreme council decided to hand the matter over to the Umno and BN MPs. 

"It is common knowledge that MPs are split in their support for former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin and the PN government. However, when it comes to the question of filling the PM’s post, the party never disappoints their leader, whatever the leader’s attitude is towards the party,” he said. 

He said the position of Umno and BN within Muhyiddin’s PN government was never based on any coalition agreement, but based on the party’s agreement to work together with Bersatu, PAS and GPS to form a government. 

He added that the difference in stances between Umno MPs and its party is one that is new to Umno, but the party has given its approval for MPs to continue working with Bersatu under the leadership of Ismail Sabri.  

This morning, buses ferrying lawmakers from Umno and Bersatu arrived at Istana Negara for their scheduled audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to reconfirm support for the next Malaysian prime minister.