PAKATAN Harapan (PH) has described Perikatan Nasional (PN) secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin’s statement that the coalition (PN) has more than 112 statutory declarations (SDs) to form a new federal government as premature, improbable and inconclusive.

PH secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said this based on Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s statement that any SD or negotiations with other parties by Umno MPs was invalid and cannot be deemed as a proof of majority support for any choice of prime minister candidate. 

It can also cause the members of parliament to lose their seats as agreed in the statutory declaration they signed, he added. 

“At the same time, we notice (BN secretary-general) Hishammuddin Hussein’s denial of a statement that 10 Umno MPs have pledged support for Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister candidate,” Saifuddin said in a statement today. 

Earlier, Hamzah in a statement, said PN had submitted more than 112 SDs from MPs who have pledged support to Pagoh MP Muhyiddin Yassin to be appointed as the 10th prime minister.

Saifuddin Nasution said PH has entered into serious negotiations with BN regarding cooperation to form the federal government and that discussions would be finalised soon. 

Yesterday, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah called on all leaders and coalitions of political parties that won a large number of seats in the general election (GE) to prove their majority for government formation and their choice for prime minister before 2pm today.

However, the king today agreed for the period to be extended until 2 pm tomorrow following requests from party leaders. 

The GE ended with a hung Parliament where no party or coalition of political parties obtained a simple majority to form the federal government.

The polls on November 19 saw Pakatan Harapan (PH) winning 82 parliamentary seats, Perikatan Nasional (73), while Barisan Nasional received 30.

A total of 112 seats are needed for a simple majority to form the government. – Bernama, November 21, 2022.