Bersatu deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu maintained that the Perikatan Nasional government is very much alive despite a change of prime minister.
Faizal said only 41 out of the 114 MPs supporting Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the prime minister are from BN.
"To us, this is the PN government, mathematically we have 77 (sic), our ally (BN) has 41, we believe we represent the PN government," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
Ismail's support as the prime minister comprises 50 PN MPs (Bersatu, PAS, Star), 41 BN MPs (Umno, MCA, MIC, PBRS), 18 GPS MPs (PBB, PRS, PDP, SUPP), one PBS MP and four independent MPs.
Faizal stressed that they are still committed to the PN coalition for the next general election.
"We will continue with our efforts to prepare PN for the general election (GE), the party machinery and cooperation between the component parties will be strengthened," he was quoted as saying.
He said this after attending the PN supreme council meeting in Kuala Lumpur, chaired by Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin.
He also said Bersatu will be grateful if the deputy prime minister position goes to the party but stressed the need for a strong cabinet.
"This will be discussed between the (PN) chairperson and the prime minister and I am confident the prime minister will make the right decision," he added.
Ismail was sworn in as the new prime minister on Saturday following the ouster of Muhyiddin, who is also the PN chairperson.
Fifteen out of Umno's 38 MPs withdrew their support for Muhyiddin, forcing the collapse of his coalition government comprising PN, BN, GPS, PBS and independent MPs.
However, 14 out of 15 Umno MPs returned to the coalition's fold after it was agreed that Ismail would take over as the prime minister.
In his inaugural speech today, Ismail only mentioned PN once - when he thanked Muhyiddin and his former cabinet.
He did not indicate whether the government he is leading will be a BN or PN government.
When conveying his thanks for the MPs' support, he referred to Bersatu, PAS and Star individually instead of as a coalition but referred to BN and GPS as a coalition. - Mkini
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