After meeting Anwar and Muhyiddin, Agong to call 30 BN MPs

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah will meet the 30 MPs from Barisan Nasional (BN) on an individual basis tomorrow, as the political drama surrounding the prime minister candidate and the formation of a new government continues. 

Istana Negara said the audiences would be held from 10.30am onwards at the palace in Kuala Lumpur. 

"This process is to allow His Majesty to decide on the appointment of an MP who, in his opinion, might command the majority support of the Dewan Rakyat as prime minister, as provided for under Article 43(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution," it said. 

"The king urges and advises all people to remain patient and calm until the process of forming a new government and appointing the 10th prime minister of Malaysia is complete." 

This follows an audience with Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Anwar Ibrahim and his counterpart from Perikatan Nasional (PN), Muhyiddin Yassin, which was widely expected to put an end to the days of uncertainty. 

However, Anwar said after the audience that no decision had been made.

BN, which performed badly at the general election on Saturday, had said that it was content to play the role of the opposition.

Earlier today, caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that BN would support neither PH nor PN for the formation of the next government. 

BN secretary-general Zambry Abd Kadir later said that no MPs from BN had given their support to Muhyiddin as the next prime minister, adding that the matter had been conveyed to the king. 

"The Supreme Council is also taking an open stand on talks with the relevant parties, to ensure that a government can be formed for the good of the country and the well-being of the people," he said. 

While BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and several other leaders had held talks with PH leaders in the wake of the election, the Umno president is also under intense pressure from MPs who refuse to cooperate with their long-time foe. 

There have also been calls, including from within his own coalition, for him to step down following BN's poor performance at the polls.