KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today dismissed claims suggesting that there was a movement involving Barisan Nasional (BN) members of Parliament to withdraw support from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Deputy Prime Minister, who is also the BN chairman, said he had not detected any such movement among MPs within the coalition.
"There is no such thing. Where did you hear this from?" Zahid asked members of the media.
The Umno president made this comment in response to rumors of such a movement, which spread following the announcement by Rembia assemblyman Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis that he would join Pas yesterday.
Pas secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan yesterday confirmed Jailani became a member of the Islamist party in June last year, after an application made by the latter on June 10.
Speculation about such a movement intensified after Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan last week said that the party is not bound to forming any coalitions or alliances for the next general election.