KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 — What happens next now to the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government is solely dependent on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan said today.
Shahril echoed his party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s remarks that Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin no longer commands the majority support of MPs.
He said the projections on the next best scenario proffered by political observers ― from appointing an interim PM to Muhyiddin leading a minority government ― are not mentioned in the Federal Constitution.
“But from my understanding, this does not mean that a solution similar to the two is impossible to implement in accordance with the Constitution.
“In a scenario where a General Election is not the choice and the Prime Minister no longer commands the majority, the biggest influence in deciding the best scenario belongs to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
“We must have full confidence that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as the head of state will perform His Majesty's role and powers based on what is enshrined in the Constitution and by taking into account all aspects of consideration,” Shahril said in a Facebook post.
Earlier today, Muhyiddin had an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah at Istana Negara ahead of the weekly Cabinet meeting.
Speculations have been rife following last night’s statement from Zahid that enough Umno MPs have withdrawn support for Muhyiddin to warrant a change of government even as the country continues to battle daily high Covid-19 infections that number over 10,000.