Malaysian lawmakers backing Ismail Sabri to be next PM summoned to meet the king: Reports

KUALA LUMPUR: All Malaysian lawmakers who are backing Mr Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the country’s next prime minister have been summoned to meet the king on Thursday (Aug 19), according to local media reports.

Bernama, citing a Barisan Nasional (BN) source, tweeted on Wednesday night: “Members of Parliament (MPs) who signed statutory declarations (SDs) supporting Ismail Sabri as prime minister candidate are expected to be at the National Palace on Thursday.”

In order to "verify their stand", the king has summoned to the Istana the 114 MPs who signed statutory declarations supporting Mr Ismail Sabri, the Star reported.

The lawmakers are expected to meet the king in groups, starting from 10am. 

According to the Star report, the MPs are from Perikatan Nasional (PN), BN, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) from Sabah and independents who have backed Mr Ismail Sabri to be the next prime minister.

All MPs have submitted their statutory declarations to the palace, stating who they support as the country’s next leader, wrote the Star.

The Lower House currently has 220 MPs and two vacant seats. With 114 lawmakers backing Mr Ismail Sabri, who is from the United Malays National Organisation, he will garner a simple majority.

On Monday, Mr Muhyiddin Yassin resigned as prime minister, plunging the country into yet another political vacuum.

This will be the second change in government within two years, since Pakatan Harapan unseated the long-time BN government in May 2018, only to be replaced by the PN government in March last year. 

On Friday, the king will preside over a special meeting of the Malay rulers. 

He has also said that the next prime minister should table a confidence motion in the parliament as soon as possible.