THE much-hyped meeting between Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and his allies Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Abdul Hadi Awang failed to take place tonight, fuelling further speculation about the fate of the Perikatan Nasional government.

Barisan Nasional secretary-general Annuar Musa said late tonight that the meeting was cancelled, without further explanation.

Umno and PAS officials at the Putra World Trade Centre where the meeting was to take place also refused to speak to the media about the gathering that had been scheduled for 8pm tonight.

Umno had earlier postponed its Supreme Council meeting scheduled for tomorrow to decide its continued participation in the PN government, which came to power last March 1.

PAS vice-president Idris Ahmad and his party’s information chief, Kamaruzaman Mohamad, meanwhile, refused to comment after being seen at Menara Dato Onn for more than two hours.

Annuar had earlier in a brief message to reporters said tonight’s meeting was postponed on the advice of the National Security Council (NSC).

“No (meeting)… it was cancelled on the advice of the NSC,” he had said.

Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki also avoided answering reporters’ questions.

“My office is here, on the 28th floor,” he said in sidestepping the questions.

PAS leaders were seen entering Menara Dato Onn about 8.30pm, and exiting around 11pm.

Tonight’s meeting was said to be held to discuss disputes between Bersatu, Umno and PAS in an effort to resolve the ongoing political deadlock.

This meeting was purportedly scheduled after Muhyiddin was said to no longer have the majority support in the Dewan Rakyat.

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim had last week appeared before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to confirm that he has the sufficient majority support in Parliament and that the Muhyiddin-led government had fallen. – October 19, 2020.