KUALA LUMPUR – Caretaker prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has pinned the blame on Perikatan Nasional (PN) for triggering the dissolution of Parliament, saying the coalitions’ actions against the ruling government had caused political turmoil.
In a statement today, Ismail Sabri said the “inappropriate” letter to Istana Negara – issued by 12 PN Parliament members (MP) who objected to the 15th general election (GE15) this year – was one of the reasons leading him to dissolve Parliament yesterday.
“The dissolution is to prevent the outbreak of disharmony in the government administration,” he said, adding that the letter had eroded the spirit of solidarity within the government, which consisted of PN parties Bersatu, PAS and Gerakan, as well as Barisan Nasional (BN).
He also said that the move to send the letter to the palace was akin to the ministers turning their back on an administration approved by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Ismail Sabri, who is also Umno vice-president, took aim at PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who had declared BN as the coalition’s “main enemy” last month
“The move by PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in declaring BN as its main enemy had also planted the seeds of division, despite his party also being a member of the government,” he said.
He pointed out that Muhyiddin, also the National Recovery Council chairman, had once urged for fresh elections to be held if Ismail Sabri cannot properly manage the nation’s economy.
Ismail Sabri’s statement today appears to be a reversal from his assertions on Sunday that the issue of loss of confidence in his leadership did not arise despite the letter written by the PN ministers.
Yesterday, Istana Negara comptroller of the royal household Datuk Seri Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin in a statement said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong felt he had no choice but to consent to Ismail Sabri’s dissolution request, as His Majesty was “disappointed” with the current political situation.
Following the party’s supreme council meeting yesterday, Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said Ismail will address the Agong’s “disappointment” over current political conditions leading to the dissolution of Parliament yesterday. – The Vibes, October 11, 2022
