KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 — Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has ended the second day of interviewing MPs to determine who commands the majority in the Dewan Rakyat.
The lengthy interview session was closed for the day after 42 DAP MPs exited Istana Negara at 4.32pm today.
Malay Mail understand that at least 137 MPs arrived for today’s interview.
The breakdown is as follows: 25 from Bersatu, 39 from PKR, 11 from Amanah, and another 11 formerly from PKR who are in Datuk Seri Azmin Ali’s independent faction.
At least nine from Parti Warisan Sabah were also seen passing the main gates into the palace grounds. However, their president and Semporna MP Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal was not seen by any of the journalists who have been camped outside Gate 2 of the palace since morning.
The palace has not indicated if the interview session is fully concluded. Malay Mail has contacted palace officials and is awaiting a response.
In an unprecedented move, Sultan Abdullah exercised his discretion as a constitutional monarch to interview all 222 MPs to find out who they supported to be prime minister, after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad abruptly resigned from office following a revolt in his Pakatan Harapan coalition.
The King reappointed the Langkawi MP as PM for an interim Monday while he considers his options.
Yesterday’s interview session ended for the day after the King met with 89 MPs from Umno, PAS, Sarawak coalition GPS, MCA, MIC and independent MPs.
