KUALA LUMPUR: Umno was not aware that its advisory board chairman Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah was granted an audience by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong until it took place, party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
“I didn’t know about that (earlier). I only knew from media reports,” he told a press conference.
Zahid said this when asked if the Umno veteran and Gua Musang MP had sought the party’s permission before meeting the King.
Tengku Razaleigh, commonly known as Ku Li, met the King this afternoon but the reason for the audience is unclear.
However, earlier reports spoke of the possibility that Ku Li was expected to either declare his support or non-support for Anwar Ibrahim, who is seeking to be the new prime minister.
Earlier in the day, the parliamentary opposition leader, who claims to have the majority support of MPs to form a new government, had an audience with the King.
Zahid, who is also Bagan Datuk MP, said he was still waiting for an official invitation from the palace if it was true the King would like to meet leaders of political parties.
On claims that Anwar had overwhelming support from MPs, Zahid said: “I don’t know but he (Anwar) would have presented the details to the King.”
Zahid said he would respect the King’s invitation to meet party leaders.
“We will go through in detail with the information after the audience with the King,” he added.
Asked whether Umno supported Anwar, he said any decision taken would have to be made by the party.
“It is based on the party’s decision-making process and not my decision alone. I will have to respect the party’s decision,” he said, adding that so far the party had not discussed it.
He said there was a political bureau meeting tonight and the question of supporting or not-supporting Anwar was not on the agenda.
Zahid said support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and the Perikatan Nasional government was based on the support of individual MPs and not that of the party. - FMT
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