Doubts over numbers of MPs backing PM candidates given to media
The numbers of MPs throwing their support behind either Dr Mahathir Mohamad or Anwar Ibrahim to take over as the next prime minister might be more than meets the eyes at this juncture.
According to sources, while the past 72 hours have seen political parties announcing their stand on who gets their support to lead the country, this did not necessarily translate into the 'votes' made by the MPs, which are now in the hands of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
This is because some MPs have made different choices from what their parties announced, the sources said.
"Political parties have been issuing statements on who they are supporting.
"But at Istana Negara, every MP was given about two to three minutes to fill up (a form), stating the person he or she wants as the leader.
"That is on an individual basis. No one knows who they chose, except themselves and the King," said a source.
It is learned that a total tally has been ready, only awaiting an announcement from the National Palace.
However, the sources declined to reveal what the numbers were like, or even the official total of MPs who had been interviewed by the King.
Since Tuesday, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah started to personally interview parliamentarians on who they would choose to be the next prime minister.
This came following the resignation of Mahathir as the country's seventh prime minister on Monday. Mahathir has since been reappointed by the King to be the interim prime minister until a new one is chosen.
The rounds of interviews ended last night, with Sabah Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal, who is also an MP, being the last one to be given the audience by the King.
The comptroller of the royal family and household, Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin, had on Tuesday explained to the media that each MP would get between two and three minutes, during which Sultan Abdullah would personally interview them.
Fadil told the media then that this was in line with Article 43(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution, which states that the Agong shall appoint a member of the Dewan Rakyat as the prime minister who "in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the House members".
The game of numbers has since gone abuzz, especially on social media, where calculations are made of the purportedly total numbers of support each candidate has obtained.
This has been fuelled up by various statements issued by political parties, which voiced their support for either Mahathir or Anwar to head the government.
Several other names have also been speculated as proposed to Sultan Abdullah, including former Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein and Umno stalwart Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. - Mkini
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