KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 — Istana Negara has reportedly denied a visit by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to call on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to dissolve the Parliament.
News portal Free Malaysia Today quoted the Comptroller of the Royal Household Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin as denying the matter, with the King currently in Singapore.
“[It’s] fake news. Tuanku is still in Singapore,” he was quoted saying.
The portal also cited an anonymous source close to Ismail Sabri as saying the latter's schedule is “packed with meetings” today. Today is also the first day of the current parliamentary sitting.
Utusan Malaysia had previously quoted an anonymous source from the royal palace as saying no meeting has been scheduled.
"Usually the prime minister will deal directly with His Majesty, and only after that we are told about it. But for now there has been no information,” the source told Utusan Malaysia, referring to the meet.
The rumour regarding Ismail Sabri's meeting with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong today was attributed to blogger Datuk Zaharin Mohd Yassin, who Umno recently sacked.
Barisan Nasional chairman and Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has been calling for GE15 to be held this year, going so far as to lable the Opposition’s concern about floods during the monsoon season an attempt to buy time to delay elections last week.
Ismail Sabri, who is also Umno’s vice-president, has continued to keep his cards close to his chest on when he would seek an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to request a dissolution of Parliament.
Yesterday, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin reportedly said the decision to dissolve Parliament to pave the way for a general election (GE15) must take into account the views of those in the Cabinet.
