THE vote of confidence for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s leadership should be held before Parliament convenes for its next sitting in September, Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan said today.

He suggested the vote be held mid-August to determine if Muhyiddin has the majority once and for all.

“Maybe the right time is on or around August 15, so that we have about two weeks before the full sitting to determine the new PM,” he said on online talk show NRChannelTV, uploaded to its Facebook page.

The Pontian MP said voting on the same day that the king reopens Parliament on September 6 is “not suitable”.

Ahmad’s suggestion echoes that of Pengerang MP Azalina Othman Said, who said it would be proper to settle the matter before the royal address.

Azalina, who is also deputy Dewan Rakyat speaker, pointed out that if the government failed to secure the vote of confidence, it would mean the king would have return to Parliament to read out a new address by a new government.

Muhyiddin said last week that he will not resign, instead he was willing to face a vote of confidence when Parliament convenes in September, following Umno’s decision to withdraw its support for him.

At least 13 Umno MPs have signed letters to the king, stating they no longer supported Muhyidding to lead the government. The party posted the letters on its website yesterday.

Ahmad also said Umno will not work with Pakatan Harapan, the party had a “strategy” up its sleeve, and it would be up to the king to decide on Muhyiddin’s replacement, should the prime minister lose the vote. – August 10, 2021.