SEVERAL Umno MPs aligned to outgoing Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin have begun scrambling to drum up support to replace him with a viable coalition, sources said today.

The Malaysian Insight understands that Muhyiddin will present two names as possible replacements when he tenders his resignation to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah at Istana Negara tomorrow.

“The deal is: the strongest Umno MP will get the full backing of the party to be the next prime minister while the deputy will be from Bersatu,” one source told The Malaysian Insight.

The source said the shortlist for the top job is between Bera MP and Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Semberong MP Hishammuddin Hussein, who is the senior minister for foreign affairs.

Ismail is also Umno vice-president while Hishammuddin did not contest any post in the 2018 party elections.

“The Umno hopefuls are already trying to get statutory declarations now to support their cause. This is a critical 24 hours for them,’ the source said.

It is learnt that Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin is slated to be the new deputy prime minister, jumping over party deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu, who was named adviser to the prime minister just 10 days ago.

Another source said Bersatu leaders are unhappy with the proposal and are considering other options ahead of Muhyiddin’s meeting with the king.

“Bersatu still wants to be the lead party. It is uncertain if any Umno MP can unite the party to back him or if PAS will agree too,” he said.

“This is the worst succession plan ever,” he added.

Meanwhile, a group of leaders gathered at Royale Chulan Hotel in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon. 

The Malaysian Insight understands that lawmakers from the Umno bloc, led by Ismail, and a group, led by Hamzah, will be present at the meeting. 

Sources said they are gathering to collect statutory declarations to support Ismail as the new prime minister and Hamzah as his deputy. 

Ismail was spotted making his way inside the hotel at at 2.45pm while several MPs’ vehicles were seen at the hotel.

Bersatu supreme council member Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof, who confirmed Muhyiddin’s resignation today, had told reporters that personal ambitions are overtaking national concerns.

“Certain irresponsible quarters are putting their personal needs ahead of the nation’s well-being,” he said.

Muhyiddin’s surprising decision to resign came less than 24 hours after he offered an olive branch to the opposition in a live broadcast, appealing to them to keep him in power in return for increasing funds for the pandemic response and political reforms.

However, the opposition rejected his overture and some allies questioned his move, forcing the embattled prime minister to cave in to calls for his resignation ahead of a confidence vote set for September 7. – August 15, 2021.