[UPDATED] Is Umno pressuring Agong to dissolve Parliament?

KUALA LUMPUR – Is the king being pressured to consent to dissolve Parliament in the next few days?

Despite the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah calling on the government and the people to prepare for the possibility of floods stemming from the coming monsoon season, it is said that the Umno leadership is continuing to pressure the king to dissolve Parliament.

Rumours that Parliament may be dissolved earlier this week began to snowball after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had an audience with the king at the Istana Negara earlier this afternoon.

It is unconfirmed if the prime minister had presented the Instrument for Dissolution, which needs to be signed by the king to trigger a dissolution followed by a snap election. 

However, other sources have speculated that Ismail Sabri may make a significant announcement tomorrow.

Political sources say that the dissolution could be as early as tomorrow or Tuesday.

The latest development coincides with Umno being set to have its supreme council scheduled after its political bureau meeting tomorrow night to discuss its strategy following the planned dissolution.

The pressure from Umno for the king to dissolve Parliament has been mounting since last week.

This as the party’s top five leadership comprising party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Ismail Sabri as vice president as well as the remaining vice presidents, namely Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid and Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, have been meeting daily since Thursday to discuss issues surrounding the dissolution.

The palace on Thursday even issued a statement to dispel talks of a dissolution after the prime minister had an audience with the king on the eve of the tabling of Budget 2023.

The king had even visited the Meteorological Department on Thursday morning to be briefed on the coming rainy season and annual monsoon and preparations, with His Majesty emphasising that all focus and efforts must be on helping those who will be affected. 

In the meantime, Ismail Sabri is sending the king and queen off tonight for a special visit to the United Kingdom until October 16. 

The king and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah’s visit to London includes a meeting with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace on October 12 and launching the Battersea Power Station Project. – The Vibes, October 9, 2022