PM: I should've sacked the ministers who wrote the letter to Agong

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today that he should have sacked all the 12 cabinet ministers from Perikatan Nasional who sent a letter to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to object to the dissolution of Parliament.

Speaking to reporters today, the Umno vice-president said he, however, would never do something like that because he "is a nice and gentle person".

According to Ismail Sabri, he had informed the cabinet twice about his plan to dissolve Parliament so that all its members were aware of the matter.

"I have taken the matter twice to the cabinet. Of course, there were different views. But I took it to the cabinet so they know my intention to dissolve Parliament.

"There were differences in opinions, but in the end, I made my decision and I told them if they disagree with it, then I could just disband the cabinet and sack everyone. I could do this.

"(My) mistake - I should have sacked everyone. But I am not like that. I am a nice, gentle person, but that does not mean that I am soft," he said during a BN function in Bagan Datuk, Perak, earlier today.

Ismail Sabri was referring to the incident where 12 ministers from PN wrote a letter to the king stating their stand against the dissolution of Parliament.

His remarks came four days after he had said he does not blame the ministers for writing the letter, saying that he understood they were just acting on party orders.

However, three days prior to that, Ismail Sabri had blamed the ministers' letter for causing him to dissolve Parliament, which paved the way for the 15th general election.

‘Puzzled by opposition’s reactions’

Meanwhile, on the dissolution of Parliament, Ismail Sabri also said that he was puzzled by the opposition's reactions to the event.

He said the opposition should have been happy with the decision because they had been accusing the administration of being illegitimate and a “back door” government.

"Now, we are giving it back to the rakyat to decide on a new government. They (the opposition) should have been happy.

"But now, when we announced the dissolution, they disagreed. They even sued the government and me to seek the court to declare that the dissolution is not valid.

"We also do not understand what they actually want," he said.

Ismail Sabri was referring to incumbent Klang MP Charles Santiago's legal suit, where the DAP representative challenged the legitimacy of the prime minister's advice to the king to dissolve Parliament, claiming that Ismail Sabri did not have the support of his cabinet to do so.

On this, the prime minister claimed that Charles was not challenging him but challenging the Agong.

This, according to him, showed that the DAP was disrespectful of the royal institution.

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