MOHAMED Nazri Abdul Aziz said he signed a statutory declaration (SD) backing Ismail Sabri Yaakob for prime minister today, insisting his Umno colleagues to do the same.

The Padang Rengas MP said he had no issue with anyone from Bersatu becoming deputy prime minister.

“I have already signed and I think all Umno MPs should support this, including those who are opposed to Muhyiddin Yassin.

“He is gone now, so there’s no reason not to sign. Last time, Umno did not want Muhyiddin, now there is no more reason not to back the Perikatan Nasional,” he said at the Royale Chulan Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, today.

He said backing Ismail Sabri will mean preventing the return of Pakatan Harapan to power.

“We support PN, we don’t want PH, which couldn’t run the government. Umno will be back again and that is important,” he said.

His disclosure comes as Umno MPs aligned to outgoing Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin tried 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. – August 15, 2021.