KUALA LUMPUR: Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today announced that the party has withdrawn its support for the Perikatan Nasional (PN), claiming that the government has now lost its majority in the Dewan Rakyat.
In a virtual press conference, Zahid said he recently had an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
According to him, he had presented to the king several statutory declarations (SDs) by Umno members of parliament who expressed their withdrawal of support for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
However, he stopped short of revealing the exact number of SDs presented to the monarch.
"A sufficient (number of) SDs by Umno MPs expressing their withdrawal of support for Muhyiddin were presented to the Agong, thus proving that he (Muhyiddin) has lost the majority (in parliament) and his legitimacy as the head of government has been invalidated," Zahid said.
The Bagan Datuk MP said he has requested another audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, adding that he would present more SDs that he has received today to the king.
"Some MPs could not be with us here today, such as those who are in their respective constituencies or Sabah.
"When I get approval for my (next) audience with the Agong, I will present the additional SDs I have gained here to His Majesty."
During the first day of Dewan Rakyat's special parliament sitting on July 26, Minister in Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law Affairs) Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan told the House that the emergency ordinances had been revoked on July 21.
However, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong revealed three days later that he had yet to give his consent for such revocation to take place, describing Takiyuddin's remark as a "great disappointment" and "unconstitutional".
Despite the king's decree for both Houses to meet and for the emergency ordinances to be laid and debated, the government decided that the parliament ground was off-limit to all due to concern of high Covid-19 infection risk.
During the press conference, Zahid said Umno chose to side with the king and would not defend Muhyiddin and his government, who had "clearly failed in the eyes of the people".
He said Muhyiddin's statement in response to the Agong recently did not clear the air on the issue. In fact, he said, the prime minister's words revealed the government's errors aside from blatantly mocking the king.
"His Majesty has decreed for the emergency ordinances to be laid and debated (in the parliament) so that it can be further deliberated before Aug 1 (when the emergency ends), not during the upcoming September parliament sitting.
"To express our undivided loyalty to the Agong, the Umno supreme council collectively agreed to retract our support for the government and Muhyiddin as the prime minister.
"Muhyiddin must take responsibility for all the failures and defiance shown by the government under his leadership who has disobeyed the king's commands by resigning as prime minister with dignity," he said.
Also present during the media conference were Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Aside from that, also present were Parit MP Datuk Mohd Nizar Zakaria (Parit), Datuk Seri Azeez Abdul Rahim (Baling), Tan Sri Noh Omar (Tanjung Karang), Datuk Ahmad Nazlan Idris (Jerantut), Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub (Machang) and Ramli Mohd Nor (Cameron Highlands).
Earlier, Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah announced his resignation as the Energy and Natural Resources Minister, saying the decision was made as he was loyal to Umno.