KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 — Umno MP Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz has today admitted that he was among those who signed a statutory declaration (SD) to support PKR President Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to become the prime minister in 2020.

English daily The Star reported that the Padang Rengas MP said he signed the SD to save Umno, claiming that former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had planned to dissolve the Malay nationalist party.

"I was the Barisan National secretary-general, so I wanted to save Umno. One of the ways is, I called Anwar because the agreement was for Dr Mahathir to be the prime minister for two years before he passed the baton to Anwar.

"So I went to see Anwar, I told him ‘Datuk Seri, when you become prime minister, don't dissolve Umno’. He said: Nazri ‘Umno is Pak Ibrahim’s party, so I won’t dissolve Umno’,” he was quoted as saying, referring to Anwar's father.

He further clarified that not all Umno lawmakers signed the SD, and he had tried to convince his colleagues to do the same.

"However, not every leader agreed to sign the SD. There were only four or five of us who signed the SD.

"We signed the SD to save Umno, so it is true but in the end, Dr Mahathir didn't give the position to Anwar so the SD expired," he added, referring to Anwar succeeding Dr Mahathir as prime minister.

Earlier, Tajuddin had in a press conference alleged that 15 Umno MPs had signed the SD to support Anwar including himself.

He alleged that the list of the 15 MPs who had signed the SDs at the Tamu Hotel in Kampung Baru here included Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Pekan MP Datuk Seri Najib Razak, and Padang Rengas MP Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

Nazri has since admitted to signing the SD.

Tajuddin also alleged a movement to topple Zahid from his post as Umno president back in May 2020.

The PH administration fell in February 2020 after former ally Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia had joined forces with Umno and PAS to form the Perikatan Nasional government.

It was previously reported in December 2020 that at least 10 Umno MPs had signed the SD and Anwar was ready to show that he had the command of the majority of Parliament to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, but nothing came out of it.