KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has denied meeting with Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta recently.
A news portal had reported that Ismail Sabri had instructed his lawyer to take legal action against those who spread claims of a supposed 'Jakarta move'.
According to the report, he said he was in the country on Dec 8 and immigration records will prove that he did not travel to Indonesia as claimed.
"If you want to slander people, at least be reasonable about it. Immigration records will show that I did not leave the country. So this means that I was in the country.
"I have already instructed my lawyer to take legal action," he said.
Ismail Sabri shared that he had lunch with a veteran journalist on Dec 8; on the day when he was alleged to have had a meeting with Muhyiddin in Indonesia.
He added that he also attended the opening ceremony for the Rainforest Challenge International 4x4 event in his parliamentary constituency of Bera, in Pahang, later in the evening that same day.
An unidentified individual had shared on a social media platform that Ismail Sabri was in Jakarta, purportedly 'planning something'.
The unidentified individual also claimed that the meeting was about a 'Jakarta move', which the unidentified individual claimed was also attended by Muhyiddin.
The allegation was apparently spread due to Ismail Sabri's absence from the Umno Supreme Council meeting on Dec 8.