220 MPs to individually state PM of choice in letter to Agong

MPs have been given until tomorrow to submit certified letters to Istana Negara stating their support for their choice of candidate for prime minister, following the resignation of Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday.

Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Harun said each letter must state clearly the support of that MP for their choice of prime minister, along with the candidate’s details and the official stamp of a witness, whether a lawyer, commissioner of oaths or notary public.

“These letters of support must be submitted to the palace by 4pm on Aug 18, to be studied by Nazim Mohd Alim, the senior private secretary to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

“Any letter that does not fulfil the necessary criteria or is received late will not be taken into consideration,” Azhar said in a letter to MPs today.

Muhyiddin resigned as prime minister yesterday, saying he had lost the support of the majority after the withdrawal of backing by 15 MPs from Umno led by their president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former leader Najib Razak.

He also cited the opposition’s rejection of a cross-party consensus in exchange for support during a vote of confidence slated for Sept 7.

The Agong later consented for Muhyiddin to be made caretaker prime minister until the appointment of a new leader who, in the king’s judgment, commands the majority support of MPs in the Dewan Rakyat.

Muhyiddin in a question-and-answer session with select media outlets yesterday did not rule out the possibility of returning to the top post.

“Well, let’s see,” he said when asked if there was any possibility of a comeback.

“Will I offer myself as a candidate? I don’t know yet,” he added.

But he warned that there would still be instability if the numbers are the same.