KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 2 — A secret meeting with 30 Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs was purportedly held at Wisma Perwira here last night to bolster support for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Malay daily Sinar Harian reported an unnamed source claiming that that the clandestine meeting saw the 30 MPs sign statutory declarations backing Muhyiddin who is from Bersatu.
“The meeting tonight was merely to show proof that Barisan MPs supported Muhyiddin through a declaration letter of support.
“That’s all, there are no other movements that want to change the prime minister,” the anonymous source was quoted as saying.
The same source said the meeting was chaired by BN Backbenchers' Club (BNNNC) chairman and Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, while Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob also attended.
According to the report, the meeting was to affirm an earlier pledge of support by 40 BN MPs for Muhyiddin prior to last week’s tumultuous Parliament sitting.
The source said the remaining 10 BN MPs who had previously declared their support were unable to attend the meeting due to the last minute notice.
“But, all of them have pledged to sign the declaration letter through a representative,” the source was quoted as saying.
BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had ordered MPs from his party Umno to move against Muhyiddin in Parliament during the briefing on the Emergency measures in a bid to shake the Perikatan Nasional government.
Umno vice-president Ismail later issued a statement claiming that over 110 MPs were in support of Muhyiddin.
That same Thursday night, two conflicting letters purporting to be from BN circulated on social media. One pledged support for Muhyiddin while the other was a rejection of support.
Ismail asserted that the BNBBC letter backing Muhyiddin was legitimate, adding that he had chaired the meeting with 40 BN MPs in Parliament last Thursday.
However, BN executive secretary Datuk Mohamad Sahfri Ab Aziz denied the coalition had issued a letter of support for Muhyiddin.
