Ku Li the odd one out from Umno who didn’t support Ismail for PM

Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah is likely the only one from Umno who did not support Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s nomination for prime minister, based on a list of 114 MPs scheduled for audiences with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at Istana Negara today.

The MPs have been called to verify their choice of the new prime minister as stated in their statutory declarations submitted to the palace yesterday.

MPs from Umno, GPS and Perikatan Nasional (PN) as well as four independents, all of whom had endorsed Ismail, are scheduled for the audiences, spread into five batches.

Caretaker prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin and other Bersatu leaders have been scheduled for an audience with the Agong at 11.10am, alongside Umno’s Najib Razak who had campaigned hard alongside PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim to topple the previous government.

Ismail, meanwhile, has been included in the 2pm session.

It is almost certain that Ismail will be asked by the Agong to form the next government, which will be a repeat of the same coalition of PN, Umno and GPS.

About a dozen Umno MPs including Najib and party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, in an about-turn on Tuesday, stated their unanimous support for Ismail.

Ismail was among the Umno leaders and Cabinet members who had refused to join Najib and Zahid in revoking support for Muhyiddin.

His candidacy was believed to have been endorsed by PN chairman Muhyiddin following what was speculated to be a deal that could see Bersatu returning to play a key role.

Ismail’s imminent appointment as the ninth prime minister followed the Agong’s reminder to political party chiefs on Tuesday to put the people’s welfare above themselves.

Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah also told the leaders that the people were fed up with constant political bickering, and urged all parties to work together with the new government.