HISHAMMUDDIN Hussein wants the police to identify the culprits behind a fake letter purported from him to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong that went viral yesterday. 

The foreign minister said a police report will be lodged on the letter today so that the culprits could be identified. 

“As mentioned by my communication unit yesterday, the letter is fake and untrue,” he said in a Facebook post today. 

“A police report will be lodged today so that investigations can be started immediately to identify the persons behind the irresponsible act.”

Yesterday, a letter purportedly written by Hishammuddin to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah stating his readiness to form a new government went viral on social media. 

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. 

Hishammuddin’s office responded by saying on Twitter last night 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.

Bernama reported that the police confirmed receiving a report on the letter.

Wangsa Maju police chief Supt Ashari Abu Samah said police have opened an investigation paper under Section 504 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

“The case would be referred to Bukit Aman CID for further action,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.

Earlier yesterday, Padang Rengas MP Nazri Aziz revealed that he had collected statutory declarations from 25 Barisan Nasional and Umno lawmakers in support of Hishammuddin as their spokesman 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 PKR president Anwar Ibrahim to become prime minister. 

He added that Zahid’s behaviour was counter to Umno’s decision not to cooperate with Anwar and DAP. – June 24, 2021.