KUALA LUMPUR – Perikatan Nasional (PN) secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has dismissed concerns that the recent letter by the coalition’s federal ministers to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the general election marks a serious problem in the cabinet.
Questioned by reporters, he brushed aside the notion that the letter, which conveyed the PN ministers’ objection to the idea of having polls this year, indicates the coalition’s loss of confidence in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
“That is a totally different matter,” he responded when speaking to the press following a Bersatu supreme council meeting held at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Resort late last night.
Hamzah, who is the home minister, is also the secretary-general of Bersatu.
The letter dated October 3 carries PN’s concerns about the nation’s economy and preference for the situation to stabilise before an election is called.
Bersatu secretary-general @dhzhamzah on the letter sent by Perikatan Nasional ministers to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. pic.twitter.com/dNhzzy3mYA
— TheVibes.com (@thevibesnews) October 6, 2022
Earlier yesterday, Umno Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki raised the question of whether the letter signed by all twelve PN ministers means that Ismail Sabri has lost majority support as the prime minister.
Asyraf referred to Article 43(4) of the federal constitution, which stipulates that if the prime minister ceases to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Dewan Rakyat he must tender the resignation of the cabinet unless the Yang di-Pertuan Agong dissolves Parliament at his request.
“I am confident that the PM is wise in making a decision in line with the federal constitution,”' Asyraf said in a post on Facebook.
Hamzah also reiterated that the letter to the king signed by the twelve cabinet ministers from PN was done based on consensus.
Prior to this, executive members of components Bersatu and PAS have repeatedly voiced their disagreement with the idea of holding polls this year, in light of the year-end period being prone to flooding.
“When we (Bersatu) made the decision, PAS had also made the same decision, including a statement issued by tok guru (PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang) for the election not to be called (this year),” Hamzah said.
“The ministers then received orders to reject elections to be held this year. So, we all have followed party instructions,” he added.
According to Istana Negara, Ismail Sabri’s audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong yesterday was a regular pre-cabinet meeting.
It stated in a Facebook post that the meeting discussed “matters of administration and issues related to government”.
The meeting had taken place amid speculation of the prime minister seeking consent to dissolve Parliament to make way for a general election. – The Vibes, October 7, 2022
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