KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 23 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim alleged today that some of the statutory declarations that opposition leader Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin cited as proof that he had majority support to form a government were signed by the same lawmakers multiple times.
Anwar was rebutting Muhyiddin’s allegation that the latter had the backing of 115 members of parliament in a speech made during the Nenggiri by-election recently.
“Some of the SDs were actually signed a few times by the same MPs,” he told reporters in a brief press conference held after lunching at the Gertak Merah stall in Kampung Sungai Penchala here.
“We also know that some parties also let their leadership decide on their behalf,” Anwar said.
Muhyiddin’s party Bersatu lost the seat to Barisan Nasional by over 3,000 votes, in what was seen as a major blow to the Malay opposition party.
The Bersatu president said on Wednesday that he gave the police 114 SDs from federal lawmakers backing him to be the PM after GE15 as well as one of his own to affirm their numbers, for a total of 115 documents.
He said the SDs were of lawmakers from PN (74), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (22), Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (six), 10 Barisan Nasional MPs, two independents, and one from Parti KDM.
Anwar suggested today that then attorney general Tan Sri Idrus Harun was also sceptical that Muhyiddin had the simple majority to lead a new government, claiming this was the reason why Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the time, used his discretion to decide.
“As far as I know even the AG at the time, who was appointed by Muhyiddin, had questioned if Muhyiddin had the numbers,” he said.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is Umno president, said yesterday the 10 SDs from his coalition were invalid as there were counter declarations that existed at the same time.
The Barisan Nasional chairman said this meant Muhyiddin’s support was only 105 MPs, short of the 112 needed for a simple majority in Parliament.
