Thanks for confirming PN no longer has majority, Ismail told

 

Shahrir Samad says the PN government will only have the support of 104 MPs even with today’s announcement by BN representatives.

PETALING JAYA: Umno veteran Shahrir Samad has sarcastically thanked deputy prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob for his announcement that 31 Barisan Nasional MPs are still backing the government.

Shahrir said Ismail’s announcement helped confirm that the government had lost its majority support, with only 31 out of 42 BN MPs supporting Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration.

The former Johor Bahru MP said this meant that the Perikatan Nasional government, which was said to have a majority of 115 seats previously, only had the support of 104 MPs.

“In the end, all they have done is publicly confirm that the PN government has 104 MPs at the moment, subject to, of course, others who might jump over (from the opposition).

“They will need seven more MPs to jump over just to get a simple majority. But what kind of government is it going to be? Can they perform? They can’t because their leader is weak.

“Their announcement doesn’t mean anything to me. I don’t see the quality of leadership there,” he told FMT.

Shahrir also said a motion of confidence must be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat immediately through a special sitting, to put an end to this uncertainty over the government’s majority support.

Meanwhile, Puteri Umno executive councillor Dr Masliha Harun issued a warning to party leaders who chose to stick with the PN government, saying its grassroots and youth members will continue to champion Umno.

“I believe that even more Umno leaders will be loyal to the party and remember what it has done for them. God will show this,” she said.

At a press conference joined by 18 other MPs, Ismail announced that a total of 31 BN MPs would continue supporting the government.

The Umno vice-president said this was in line with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s wishes as His Majesty had consented to a confidence vote in September. - FMT