The Malaysian Insight

ISTANA Negara has asked Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun for confirmation of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s parliamentary support, several news reports said.

They said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that the palace had written to the speaker on Monday and asked for an update on the number of MPs supporting Muhyiddin.

“The update was sought after more Umno MPs announced that they are withdrawing support for Muhyiddin,” the source said.

On Monday, Umno made public two letters the party sent to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, which revealed the names of Umno MPs who withdrew their support for the prime minister.

In the letters, 15 MPs from Umno have withdrawn support for Muhyiddin and his administration either through public or statutory declarations.

This would leave Muhyiddin with a minority of 100 MPs in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat.

However, the source could not confirm if Azhar has responded to the palace’s letter.

Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki earlier today said news portal Malaysiapost had published an article which claimed that the speaker has responded to the palace and admitted that the prime minister has lost majority support in the Dewan Rakyat.

The article claimed that, in Azhar’s letter to the king, he had said Muhyiddin only had the support of 100 MPs after the resignation of Higher Education Minister Noraini Ahmad.

Asyraf challenged Azhar to deny the report that he sent the letter to the king.

Former prime minister Najib Razak has also questioned if Azhar has sent a letter to the king to inform him that Muhyiddin only has the support of 100 MPs. – August 12, 2021.