KUCHING, Aug 18 — Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has submitted its nominee to be the new prime minister to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, chairman Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg said today.
He declined to reveal the name, however, saying it was the Agong’s prerogative to do so.
“It is just a normal request that we sent to Istana Negara,” he told reporters after chairing the GPS supreme council meeting here.
“I cannot announce the name before the Agong announces the name,” he added.
Abang Johari, who is also the Sarawak chief minister, appeared to suggest that the person was not from the Pakatan Harapan (PH) as he said the Opposition coalition has not reached out to GPS on the matter.
GPS chief whip Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, when approached by reporters, said the meeting was on the issue of selecting the next prime minister.
Fadillah, who is the Petrajaya member of parliament, also declined to disclose if GPS nominated Umno vice-president and former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to replace Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“As chief minister has said, we don’t want to interfere with the matter. So, we just leave it to the Istana Negara,” he said.
PBB supreme council member and Santubong member of parliament Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar was reported as saying that GPS would support Ismail Sabri as the new prime minister.
Yesterday, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun had told all MPs that they had until 4pm today to submit in writing to Istana Negara their candidate for the next prime minister.
He issued a notice instructing the MPs to do so, following a decree from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Azhar in the letter said this is in accordance with Article 43 (2)(a) of the Federal Constitution.
He said he was issuing a notice for them to submit a declaration that clearly and distinctly identified the one MP whom they believe could be the 9th prime minister.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin resigned as the prime minister on Monday after losing majority support from the MPs.
