Muhyiddin rejects Agong’s proposal for unity govt with PH
KUALA LUMPUR: The Yang diPertuan Agong has proposed for a unity government between Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) to break the deadlock in forming the federal government following three days of hung Parliament.
However, PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin disagreed and reiterated that the coalition will not cooperate with PH in forming the new government.
Speaking to reporters in Bukit Damansara here, the Pagoh Member of Parliament said Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has proposed that PN work together with PH, but the coalition is firm with its stand to reject such cooperation.
“His Majesty suggested that we cooperate with PH to form a unity government, but we have discussed this beforehand. We will not cooperate with PH.
“That has been the party’s stance since the beginning. For whatever purpose, we still disagree,” he said.
Earlier, Muhyiddin and PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had an hour-long audience with Al-Sultan Abdullah at Istana Negara.
Elaborating, Muhyiddin said he had also signed the ‘disagree’ section on a document related to the formation of the government.
“I was asked to sign a document asking if we agreed; I signed but on the disagree (section),” he said.
In the meantime, Muhyiddin claimed that PN had submi ed statutory declarations (SDs) by 115 Members of Parliament to form a new government to Istana Negara on Monday.
He said he had also received an acknowledgement of receipt from Al-Sultan Abdullah’s senior private secretary Colonel Datuk Nazim Mohd Alim.
“That is why we were confident that we could form a government. But when I had an audience with the King, I was told it was not enough. I don’t know the reason behind this, but the proof is here,” he said while showing a transparent folder containing all the documents.
In a press conference a erwards, Anwar expressed confidence that he could secure a simple majority in time to form the federal government.
The Agong has since scheduled audiences with all 30 Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs individually today to end the deadlock.
Comptroller of the Royal Household for Istana Negara, Datuk Seri Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said it was the next step a er the audience with the leaders of PH and PN yesterday a ernoon at Istana Negara.
He said the purpose of the audience was for Al-Sultan Abdullah to be able to make a decision to appoint an MP who, in His Majesty’s wisdom, would command majority support as Prime Minister, as provided under Article 43(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution.
Sabah BN chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said no statutory declarations were signed by BN MPs at the BN meeting yesterday.
Apart from that, he said the meeting yesterday also did not proposed any name for the post of Prime Minister.
“We in solidarity on waiting for the decision of the top leadership to determine our direction,” he said when met after the BN Supreme Council meeting. Also confirming that no sworn statements were signed by BN MPs yesterday were Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias, who is the MP for Jelebu.
The 15th general election (GE15) on Nov 19 ended in a hung Parliament when no party or coalition of parties obtained a simple majority of 112 seats to form the federal government.
The results of GE15 saw PH winning 82 parliamentary seats, PN (73), BN (30), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (23), Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (six), Warisan (three), Independent (two) as well as Parti Bangsa Malaysia and Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat obtained one seat each.
Meanwhile, Vigneswaran who is also MIC president said the decision on BN to be in the opposition for the time being was achieved unanimously in the meeting.
“So becoming the opposition is only for the time being,” he told reporters before leaving Menara Dato’ Onn.