PM did not abide by Cabinet decisions, it's not us who caused disharmony, says Azmin

 

PETALING JAYA: The Prime Minister made a U-turn on a Cabinet decision, not Perikatan Nasional ministers with the letter to the King, says Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.

The Senior Minister said that the Cabinet had discussed Parliament's dissolution on Sept 21 and decided to focus on the economic recovery and the welfare of the people when facing the floods.

In a statement Wednesday (Oct 12), the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) supreme council member and Gombak MP also said that the Cabinet had, on Sept 7, decided that the decision to dissolve must be made by the Prime Minister in consultation with the Cabinet members.

"The Cabinet meeting on Sept 7 agreed that dissolution of Parliament must be made in consultation with the Cabinet before the Prime Minister requests the King for consent to dissolve.

"(Datuk Seri) Ismail Sabri (Yaakob) had announced this to the public before, stating that Barisan Nasional is no longer a coalition that forms the government on its own.

"The stand of the Perikatan Cabinet ministers to reject the dissolution was a confirmation of the Cabinet meeting decision on Sept 21.

"Why then does Ismail Sabri now dispute the stand of the 12 Perikatan ministers which was the decision of the Cabinet? Obviously, this new stand of Ismail Sabri's is from the push by the Umno president," said Azmin.

On Oct 5, 12 Perikatan Cabinet ministers from Bersatu and PAS sent a letter to Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to request His Majesty not to consent to polls during the north-east monsoon season due to floods and to focus on economic recovery.

On Tuesday (Oct 11), Ismail Sabri said the action of the dozen Cabinet ministers in sending such a letter to the King caused disharmony in the Cabinet.

Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also said Wednesday that it was the letter that caused the King to be saddened by the political developments and forced Ismail Sabri to call for snap polls. - Star