KUALA LUMPUR: About 18 members of parliament made a last-minute submission of statutory declarations (SD) to the Istana Negara today, according to sources.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun had yesterday said all MPs have until 4pm today to submit the SDs so that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong could start the process of choosing a new prime minister after Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin resigned on Monday.
Insiders who pointed to one of the East Malaysia states, said some MPs from "a political alliance there" had sent their SDs less than half an hour before the deadline was over.
The insider revealed that the political alliance had nominated Umno president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri as its prime ministerial candidate.
"However, the chief (of the alliance in East Malaysia) said his MPs will revoke support for Ismail if the Yang di-Pertuan Agong prefers to choose a different prime minister," a source told the New Straits Times.
Another source also claimed that among the views voiced to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong "by his circle" was for the King to choose the best candidate for the pandemic and not merely look at the majority the person gets in the Dewan Rakyat.
"They were of the view that a suitable person must be appointed. The new prime minister must be the right person and this is the main consideration.
"Of course the majority support (in Dewan Rakyat) is important too but what's more pressing now is the country and Malaysia need the right person to take on that job," the source said.
On Monday, Muhyiddin handed his resignation to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as prime minister. He was later appointed as caretaker prime minister by the King while waiting for a replacement to take over the Putrajaya top job.
Muhyiddin's resignation came following the revocation of support by several Umno MPs including its president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.