KOTA KINABALU, Feb 26 — Semporna MP Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has denied a news report purporting that he sent a representative instead of personally meeting the Yang di-Pertuan Agong along with other federal lawmakers.
Aside from claiming that Shafie did not go to the Istana Negara today, the news portal also reported that his representative was barred from meeting Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustaffa Billah Shah.
“It is not true that he had sent a representative who was turned away,” according to a statement issued at about 10pm by the Sabah chief minister’s office, which also affirmed his attendance at the palace this evening.
The news portal quoted an unnamed “Istana Negara official” as claiming Shafie and Padang Rengas MP Datuk Mohamed Nazri Aziz were the only two MPs who did not meet the Agong to indicate their choice for the prime minister.
The Agong polled federal lawmakers yesterday and today to determine who among them commanded the support of the majority needed to become the prime minister.
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad unexpectedly resigned as the prime minister on Monday but is continuing on in an interim capacity until a successor is named.
