More than 69 MPs agree to back BN candidate, claims Annuar

 

More than 69 MPs from outside BN have agreed to back a candidate from the coalition to be prime minister, claimed Umno’s Ketereh MP Annuar Musa.

This would bring the coalition within striking distance of securing majority support in Parliament to form the next government.

In a Facebook post today, Annuar said BN only has 42 seats in Parliament, meaning that it would need the support of 69 more MPs to command a simple majority.

“Alhamdulillah, we have just concluded discussions with MPs and representatives from other parties to seek support for a BN candidate.

“We are touched that more than the 69 needed have agreed to give way and provide written support for a BN candidate,” he said in a Facebook post today.

He said he has already informed Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi of the matter and BN parliamentarians will be meeting Zahid to discuss this tonight.

For the record, BN’s 42 MPs comprise 38 from Umno, 2 from MCA, 1 from MIC and 1 from Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah.

However, it is unclear whether the 38 Umno MPs will all support the same person to be prime minister, or if the vote be split along factional lines.

Meanwhile, a report by Sinar Harian said sources close to PKR president Anwar Ibrahim are claiming that Anwar has already garnered sufficient support from within Pakatan Harapan and from other parties to secure a majority.

This includes several MPs who are currently in Perikatan Nasional, the report said.

“However, the support from parties or MPs from outside Harapan is not in the form of a confidence and supply agreement as claimed by some quarters.

“Instead, the support is for forming a new government that has more than enough support to have a majority,” the source was quoted as saying.

MPs have until 4pm tomorrow to submit their choice of prime minister in writing to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s private secretary Nazim Mohd Alim; either by fax, email, or WhatsApp. MPs have been instructed to maintain secrecy over the contents of their letters. - Mkini