Anwar came empty-handed, says palace

Istana Negara today said PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim did not submit any list of names of MPs to the Agong to back his claim of having the majority support to form the federal government.

The statement from the national palace came moments after Anwar told reporters that he had furnished “authentic documents” to prove that he had a “formidable” majority to topple Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration.

The palace said Anwar, during his 25-minute audience with Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, had only stated the total number of MPs whose support he claimed to have.

“However, he did not present the list of the MPs to strengthen the claim,” said the statement by Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin, Comptroller of the Royal Family and Household.

It further said the king had advised Anwar to abide by the legal process in line with the constitution.

On the conditional movement control order in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya which will take effect at midnight, the palace said Sultan Abdullah advised the people to stay calm and comply with the SOPs.

While the latest developments were worrying due to the increase in daily Covid-19 numbers, the king also urged the people to remain united and to fight the spread of the virus for the safety and well-being of the nation.

The statement said Istana Negara had also put in place a semi-lockdown to ensure the safety of palace officers and staff. It said this lockdown would remain in effect until a later date.