RUMOURS of a meeting with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong today are unfounded, said PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

“Don’t fall prey to fake news,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

Anwar, who arrived at Parliament at 10am today, said he has no plans to meet the Agong when asked about a message circulating in chat groups that he had gone to Istana Negara for an audience.

The rumour comes amid speculation of moves to oust Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, as well as of counter efforts to keep him in office, following Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) worse-than-expected defeat in the recent Tg Piai by-election.

The by-election result, where PH lost by a 15,000-vote margin, is being cast as a rejection of Dr Mahathir and of PH’s 18 months in federal power.

Anwar, who is Port Dickson MP and prime minister-in-waiting under an agreement between PH parties, said the rumour is the work of those who are politically weak.

“This is an attempt by those who are weak. When they have no power, they use slander and deceit.”

He added the public should learn to distinguish what is slander and not be influenced, as he believes such fake news will become more frequent.

“This is a small, deliberate attempt to slander. I hope we’re not influenced by this, because it will happen every day.”

Anwar said he last met the Agongg on October 16 and there are no meetings scheduled with the palace.

Meanwhile, PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil told reporters he would be making a police report over the rumour that Anwar had gone to the palace for a royal audience.

These developments follow a Monday night meeting hosted by PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali at his residence, with 22 Barisan Nasional MPs and several PKR MPs, purportedly to discuss ways to keep Dr Mahathir in power.

Azmin, who denied speculation about the meeting and saying it was an “ordinary one”, has fallen out with party boss Anwar over the past year.

Azmin also openly declared support for Dr Mahathir to remain in office until the end of his term, instead of handing the prime minister’s post to Anwar mid-way. – November 20, 2019.