Perikatan Nasional (PN) lost the boost it needed to form the government yesterday, when 10 Barisan Nasional members of parliament (MP) recalled their earlier support.
This, the New Straits Times has learnt, was also the basis for the palace to issue a statement yesterday saying neither the coalition nor Pakatan Harapan (PH) had the majority support of members of the Dewan Rakyat.
It is learnt that the withdrawal of support was done through statutory declarations sent via e-mail to the palace about 2pm yesterday.
Among others, the e-mail read, "...I withdraw my support to YB Tan Sri Dato Haji Mahiaddin Bin Md Yassin, member of parliament for Pagoh (P143) as the 10th prime minister.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had later summoned PN chief Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, both eyeing the prime minister's post, to the palace, just after 4pm. This was when he conveyed to them the news, discussed the impasse with both the leaders separately and subsequently decreed that he wanted to meet BN's 30 MPs, whose number both coalitions are after.
In a press conference after his audience with the king yesterday, Muhyiddin said he had submitted the SDs to Istana Negara on Monday and that he had the majority needed for his claim on Putrajaya.
Yesterday, during a press conference at his residence after the palace meeting, Muhyiddin made an open rejection to the king's proposal for PN and PH to work together in forming the government.
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