FOREIGN Minister Hishammuddin Hussein’s office has dismissed as fake a letter purportedly written by him to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah stating his readiness to form a new government.

The letter, written on an official Barisan Nasional letterhead, also listed 34 cabinet members in the new government.

The letter appeared to have been signed by Hishammuddin, with an acknowledgement stamp from Istana Negara, and went viral on social media earlier today.

Hishamuddin’s office said on Twitter that the letter was fake.

“It is a political provocation with bad intentions, meant to confuse people,” the tweet said.

Hishammuddin, who is also Barisan Nasional treasurer, later shared the tweet.

Earlier today, Padang Rengas MP Mohamed Nazri Aziz revealed that he had collected statutory declarations from 25 Barisan Nasional and Umno lawmakers in support of Hishammuddin as their spokesperson to the king.

He said they had lost confidence in Umno president and BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who they said had thrown his support behind Anwar Ibrahim to become prime minister.

Nazri added that Zahid’s behaviour was counter to Umno’s decision not to co-operate with the PKR president and DAP.

Yesterday, Nazri urged Umno to suspend Zahid from his post as president.

In another development, Umno vice president Ismail Sabri Yaakob said no BN MP would support a motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, if it was brought up when the Dewan Rakyat sits. – June 23, 2021.