.jpg "PAS deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man greets members of the media at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur August 18, 2021. u00e2u20acu2022 Picture by Shafwan Zaidonn")
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 ― Islamist party PAS has rallied to support Umno’s Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to be the ninth prime minister.
News portal Malaysiakini cited PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man saying his party has readied statutory declarations (SDs) to support Ismail as the next head of government.
“PAS unanimously supports Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri and we have completed the SDs a few days ago,” he was quoted as saying.
PAS has 18 MPs in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat. A simple majority now would be the support of 111 MPs as two seats in the Lower House of Parliament are currently vacant due to the deaths of their incumbents.
PAS was also a component member of the Perikatan Nasional government that collapsed two days ago following the resignation of Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister.
Ismail, who is Umno vice-president, was yesterday named as the sole prime minister candidate from Barisan Nasional by the coalition’s secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan following a late night meeting at World Trade Centre here.
The Opposition have currently presented two names, Pakatan Harapan leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Parti Warisan Sabah president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.
All the MPs have been given until 4pm today to submit in writing to Istana Negara their personal choice for the next prime minister.
