BN to seek another extension to nominate PM candidate
MIC deputy president M Saravanan said BN was requesting Istana Negara to postpone the audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. (Bernama pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional is seeking another extension to nominate its prime ministerial candidate, says MIC deputy president M Saravanan.
He said the coalition wanted to “check on details before deciding anything”.
“Which is why we will be requesting Istana Negara to postpone the audience with the King,” he told reporters when met after the BN Supreme Council meeting, here.
The bid for another extension was also confirmed by MCA secretary-general Chong Sin Woon and Sabah BN chairman Bung Moktar Radin.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, had, on Monday, given a one-day extension of the deadline for party leaders and heads of coalitions to propose their prime ministerial candidates.
However, on Tuesday evening, Pakatan Harapan chairman Anwar Ibrahim said there had been no decision reached on the country’s 10th prime minister.
PH won 82 seats at Saturday’s general election while PN won 73 seats, both well short of the simple majority of 112 required in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat.
Separately, Bung said that BN was taking a “cooling-off period” before deciding on who the coalition would back as prime minister.
And during this period, nothing would be discussed.
“We only got 30 MPs, why are we (BN) overreacting?”
Bung added that the people should calm down and wait for the decision from the palace.
He said the coalition wanted to “check on details before deciding anything”.
“Which is why we will be requesting Istana Negara to postpone the audience with the King,” he told reporters when met after the BN Supreme Council meeting, here.
The bid for another extension was also confirmed by MCA secretary-general Chong Sin Woon and Sabah BN chairman Bung Moktar Radin.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, had, on Monday, given a one-day extension of the deadline for party leaders and heads of coalitions to propose their prime ministerial candidates.
However, on Tuesday evening, Pakatan Harapan chairman Anwar Ibrahim said there had been no decision reached on the country’s 10th prime minister.
PH won 82 seats at Saturday’s general election while PN won 73 seats, both well short of the simple majority of 112 required in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat.
Separately, Bung said that BN was taking a “cooling-off period” before deciding on who the coalition would back as prime minister.
And during this period, nothing would be discussed.
“We only got 30 MPs, why are we (BN) overreacting?”
Bung added that the people should calm down and wait for the decision from the palace.
The question is, "why is the Agong involved in the minutae of government selection?"
ReplyDeleteAs noted by other commenters, the Agong has only to invite the biggest winning coalition to form a government.
In this case, Anwar should be the one and how he gets to the magic number 112, is for him to work out.
But then, this is Malaysia where all things are possible. For example, Malaysia is probably the only country in the world to define a particular race whereby a Malay is also defined as being a Muslim. And he/she cannot convert to another religion.