Defying own party, 27 Umno MPs join four BN colleagues to back Muhyiddin, Perikatan govt

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 ― A total of 31 Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs declared their support for the sitting government until the Parliament reconvenes to decide Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s majority.

Leading the pack, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that any attempt to topple the current government would allegedly be against Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s decree to prove prime minister’s majority in September.

“Our stand is that the members of parliament respect and respect the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's command, which is to allow the current government to continue its administration and determine the legitimacy of this in parliament,” he said.

Out of the 31, 27 were from BN’s dominant component Umno ― in opposition to the party’s resolution to pull support from the coalition.

A total of 21 MPs were present today, with the remaining 10 pledging their support in absentia.

This left a total of 11 Umno MPs who are still toeing the party line.

The announcement came after Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi called for the party’s lawmakers to retract their support for the current government and prime minister.

Here are the 27 Umno MPs who allegedly declared their support for the government: Bera MP Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob; Kuala Kangsar MP Datin Mastura Mohd Yazid; Padang Terap MP Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid; Besut MP Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh; Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman; Datuk Seri Hasan Arifin; Ketereh MP Tan Sri Annuar Musa; Kepala Batas MP Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican; Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein; Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin; Kota Tinggi MP Datuk Halimah Sadique; Tenggara MP Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba; Kuala Krau MP Datuk Seri Ismail Mohamed Said; Lipis MP Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad; Maran MP Datuk Seri Ismail Abd Mutalib; Paya Besar MP Mohd Shahar Abdullah; Jasin MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah; Padang Besar MP Datuk Zahidi Zainul; Padang Rengas MP Datuk Seri Moh; med Nazri Abdul Aziz; Jelebu MP Datuk Jalaluddin Alias; Jempol MP Datuk Salim Sharif; Kimanis MP Datuk Mohamad Alamin ― including three that were present during the last Umno chief press conference; Tanjong Karang Tan Sri Noh Omar; Baling MP Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Rahim; and Parit MP Datuk Mohd Nizar Zakaria.

The list includes other four BN MPs: Tapah MP Datuk Seri M Saravanan (MIC); Pensiangan MP Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup (PBRS); both MCA lawmakers Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong (Ayer Hitam) and Datuk Wee Jeck Seng (Tanjung Piai).

Earlier today, it was reported that Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani has called for disciplinary action to be taken against party MPs who have not withdrawn support for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the Perikatan Nasional government.

Yesterday, Berita Harian reported Johari as saying that Umno had given clear justifications for its withdrawal of support, which is that the government has failed to handle the Covid-19 crisis and has gone against the decree of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.