Refusing to wait for vote of confidence is treason against king - DPM

 

Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has hit back at critics who claim that those standing by embattled Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin are committing treason against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Instead, he suggests that those trying to topple the government before a vote of confidence is held in the Dewan Rakyat are the treasonous ones.

This is as the king had assented to Muhyiddin going through a vote of confidence in September, he said.

"Maybe those who are treasonous are the ones going against the king's decree, for this matter (prime minister's majority) to be brought to Parliament," he said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

Ismail said by assenting to a confidence vote, the palace has signalled that it would not entertain statutory declarations or support letters.

His remarks come amid attempts by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to unseat Muhyiddin by sending letters to the Agong, saying that the prime minister has lost majority support.

Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan has given all the party's MPs until tomorrow to state their stance.

Ismail, who claimed 31 Umno and BN MPs are still on PN's side, said they are still considering whether or not to respond to the letter.

He also urged Zahid to meet with Umno MPs, so the Umno president can explain his decisions.

Ismail, who is an Umno vice-president, stressed that the Umno MPs with him were upholding the king's decree, and were loyal to the party.

"As members who are loyal to the part, our actions should not be to the detriment of the party, or burden the people," he said. - Mkini