Palace writes to speaker requesting for PM's number of support
Istana Negara has penned a letter to Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun asking him to confirm the number of MPs who supported Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
The letter which has been making the rounds was signed by the Comptroller of the Royal Household Ahmad Fadhli Shamsuddin and sent on Aug 9.
A source privy to the matter has confirmed to Malaysiakini that the document is genuine.
- UPDATED 8.40PM | Added comments from Deputy Speaker Mohd Rashid Hasnon.
Istana Negara has penned a letter to Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun asking him to confirm the number of MPs who supported Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
The letter which has been making the rounds was signed by the Comptroller of the Royal Household Ahmad Fadhli Shamsuddin and sent on Aug 9.
A source privy to the matter has confirmed to Malaysiakini that the document is genuine.
The letter stated that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong wanted to know the number of lawmakers supporting the prime minister.
It stated that Azhar, through an earlier letter dated Aug 3, had briefed the palace that Muhyiddin then had 106 MPs on his side.
However, according to the palace, two cabinet members have since tendered their resignations on Aug 4 and 6 and this had decreased the number.
Meanwhile, Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Mohd Rashid Hasnon said he is unsure whether Azhar had received such a letter from the palace as this would be against a long-standing precedence.
"That is why I have to ask about this report claiming as such because how can His Majesty direct his questions to the Yang di-Pertua (speaker).
"According to the procedure, when Parliament is in session, whatever happens inside the Dewan, the leader of the House (prime minister) will report to the Agong himself, including on his majority support.
"This doesn’t come from the speaker. It cannot. That is the procedure," he told The Vibes.
On Aug 9, Umno revealed letters signed by 13 of its MPs saying that they no longer supported Muhyiddin.
Umno Youth lodges police report
Besides the palace's request, Azhar's purported reply has also gone viral. However, the authenticity of this letter cannot be ascertained.
Malaysiakini has contacted the speaker for comment.
On the other hand, news portal Malaysiapost said Azhar declined to comment on the matter.
"Sorry, I cannot comment on my official communications, especially when it involves the palace," he was quoted as saying.
Following this, Umno Youth today lodged a police report, urging authorities to investigate and determine if the letter was genuine.
Its chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki told a press conference that they want Azhar to issue a denial if the letter being circulated on social media was fake.
"In the letter, Azhar said that the number of MPs who support the prime minister has now decreased to only 100.
"Thus, Umno Youth urges the speaker to immediately issue a statement to deny the letter, although he had reportedly said he does not want to comment as it involves the palace," he added.
Malaysiakini has sent a request for comments to Istana Negara.
Additional reporting by Geraldine Tong.
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