KUALA LUMPUR: The 115 statutory declarations (SDs) from MPs that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin claims to have include 10 lawmakers who had also signed similar documents with Barisan Nasional, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairman said this meant that the Perikatan Nasional chairman only had 105 SDs with him.
“Since 10 MPs had also signed SDs with Barisan, this means that the actual number of SDs (with Muhyiddin) is 105. This is not enough to set up a government,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the annual general assembly for Wanita Umno, Umno Youth and Puteri Umno.
Ahmad Zahid said candidates contesting for Barisan had to sign three sets of documents, including one stating that the coalition chairman has full authority to form the government or to be part of a mixed government.
The other document was to acknowledge that the seat they contested and won belonged to the party and not the individual.
The third document was to agree that should they leave Barisan or support other parties, a penalty of RM100mil would have to be paid.
“These documents were signed before a commissioner of oaths and three lawyers. There is also a video recording of the candidate signing the documents,” he added.
All smiles: Ahmad Zahid mingling with members of the media on the sidelines of the Umno general assembly at World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
Muhyiddin, who was questioned by police on Wednesday over his speech during the Nenggiri by-election, had said that he handed over several documents, including 114 SDs, to Istana Negara on Nov 21, 2022, and an additional SD that was submitted the following day.
The SDs had purportedly been evidence that Muhyiddin had enough support from MPs after the 15th General Election to form a government.
Met separately, Umno supreme council members Datuk Dr Puad Zarkashi and Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan challenged Muhyiddin to name MPs who are not from Perikatan who had signed the SDs.
“This is to confirm that the SDs are genuine. These individuals must openly acknowledge that they support him as the 10th prime minister,” said Puad.
Ahmad concurred, saying that without confirmation from the non-Perikatan MPs themselves, there would be allegations that the SDs were manipulated.
“But one thing is for sure, ... my name is not in the list,” he said.
Another Umno leader, information chief Datuk Seri Azalina Othman, urged Muhyiddin to wait for the end of the current government’s term and contest the 16th General Election in order to become prime minister.
She said when Muhyiddin became prime minister after the so-called “Sheraton Move” in March 2020, Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had accepted the decision.
“At the time, I met with the Opposition leader and now Prime Minister (Anwar), who informed me that Pakatan had accepted the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s decision on the prime minister’s post,” said Azalina.
Earlier, Ahmad Zahid paid a visit to the media centre at World Trade Centre here – where the party is holding its annual general assembly.
