YANG di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah is to meet MPs and leaders from various political parties today, including Umno, PAS and parties from Sabah and Sarawak.

The Agong has to ascertain which bloc has the majority of lawmakers to form the next government.

The media have been told that a special briefing by Istana Negara officials will be given at 12.30pm on the expected flow of events starting at 2.30pm, when the Agong is expected to grant an audience to political leaders.

Sources, meanwhile, said all MPs have been summoned for an audience this afternoon.

Yesterday, the Agong appointed Dr Mahathir Mohamad as interim prime minister, hours after the latter resigned following a weekend of political manoeuvring that led to him throwing in the towel both as PM and as chairman of Bersatu.

Dr Mahathir is back at work at the Prime Minister’s Department this morning.

His resignation dissolved the cabinet he appointed in 2018 but as interim prime minister, he has the power to appoint cabinet members, the attorney-general said.

He can also be interim prime minister for an undetermined period.

Seen coming and leaving the palace today was Bersatu’s Sri Gading MP Shahruddin Md Salleh.

He arrived at 11.05am and left 40 minutes later.

Simpang Renggam MP Maszlee Malik, also from Bersatu, then arrived at 11.48am with drinks that he distributed to the press before entering the palace gate.

Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and Attorney-General Tommy Thomas were also at Istana Negara today for an audience with the Agong.

The Malaysian Insight was told that their meeting is on judicial appointments and not the current political crisis. – February 25, 2020.