'I have not switched position' - Jerantut MP says he's still in Zahid's camp

 

Jerantut MP Ahmad Nazlan Idris maintained that he has not switched positions after renouncing Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Nazlan (above) was among the 11 Umno MPs appearing in a live press conference on Aug 3 to announce that they were withdrawing support for Muhyiddin, ending his majority in the Dewan Rakyat.

Muhyiddin is now scrambling to rebuild his majority ahead of September's Parliament sitting, during which he has promised to undergo a vote of confidence.

"I hereby state that I will abide by the Umno supreme council's decision on July 7 to withdraw support for Muhyiddin and the Perikatan Nasional government.

"I am restating this statement to deny claims that I have changed my position," Nazlan said in a video aired on Umno Online.

The lawmaker said he had already declared his position to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

"I have made a declaration letter to the Agong on July 30 and I will surely keep my promise.

"I hope those out there will stop using my name to confuse people," Nazlan added.

Umno, which has 38 MPs, is split into two factions.

Party vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob prefers his party to remain in the PN government while president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi wants to exit.

Ismail  Sabri claimed that at least 31 BN MPs are still supporting Muhyiddin. However, three of these MPs have refuted the claim, leaving Muhyiddin with 28.

Coupled with 73 non-BN MPs in the government, this leaves Muhyiddin with only 101 MPs at the most - out of the 220 members of the Dewan Rakyat. Two more seats are vacant.

However, this situation could change in the coming weeks as Muhyiddin's camp tries to convince other opposition MPs to back him.

Several opposition MPs claimed that they have been approached with offers of ministerial positions and cash to switch sides. - Mkini