KUALA LUMPUR – Police have been urged to investigate the alleged existence of an “agreement” between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and his predecessor Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Social activist Osman Abu Bakar expressed concern that the agreement is said to contain conditions that must be executed by Ismail Sabri in exchange for Bersatu’s backing for him as prime minister in August last year.
Ismail Sabri is a vice-president of Umno while Muhyiddin is president of Bersatu.
Osman said that if the agreement is real, then it is in violation of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s address on September 13, 2021, and so cannot be acted upon.
He was referring to the king’s speech when opening the first meeting of the fourth term of the 14th Parliament on that day.
The king had expressed satisfaction with the confidence given to Ismail Sabri by 114 MPs, as it was done willingly, without any force. He had also advised all MPs not to put the country’s future and the people at stake to achieve a certain agenda.
“The agreement was also not made public and its existence has not been referred to for the approval of MPs before they pledge their support for the prime minister,” Osman told reporters after lodging the report at the Dang Wangi police station here.
“If it exists, it violates the basics of contract law since the MPs involved are not aware of the existence of the agreement,” he added.
Muhyiddin was reported to have said on August 27 this year that the agreement between himself and Ismail Sabri was witnessed by several individuals.
Muhyiddin, who is Bersatu president, had counted among the witnesses his party colleague, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and Umno’s Tan Sri Annuar Musa, who is the communications and multimedia minister.
“According to this agreement which I signed with the prime minister, when the latter decides on an election date, he must consult with us first, because we are also a part of the government,” Muhyiddin had then said.
“However, I’m not sure if the prime minister still remembers this agreement,” he had added.
He said he was lodging the report so that investigations can be carried out to determine the authenticity of the claim about the agreement. He added that it was also to defend the institution of the Malay rulers and the king.
Meanwhile, Dang Wang police chief Noor Dellhan Yahaya confirmed receiving the report.
This comes after former Umno supreme council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam had highlighted on September 1 additional details of several leaked agreements between Ismail and Muhyiddin.
According to Lokman, it included an agreement by Ismail to not replace Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun.
For the record, Idrus was appointed in the position in March 2020 during Muhyiddin’s time as eighth prime minister.
On September 3, Ismail Sabri had reportedly dismissed the alleged agreement, saying: “It’s old news; it’s not a new story.” – The Vibes, September 12, 2022
