PETALING JAYA: Statutory declarations (SDs) from 11 Umno MPs retracting their support for the Perikatan Nasional government and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as Prime Minister have been sent to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, says Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

       “There are enough SDs from Umno MPs expressing their withdrawal of support for Muhyiddin as Prime Minister which I have presented to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

       “This shows that his leadership has lost the majority (support) and his legitimacy as the head of government is nullified,” Ahmad Zahid told a virtual press conference yesterday, adding that there were more SDs.

       Ahmad Zahid’s announcement is the latest blow to the Perikatan government, with its legitimacy already being disputed by Opposition MPs following the recent Royal rebuke on the revocation of the Emergency Ordinances.

       There were 10 Umno MPs who stood behind Ahmad Zahid during the press conference, among them Pekan MP and former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Pengerang MP Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Tanjong Karang MP Tan Sri Noh Omar, Pontian MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan and Baling MP Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim.

       The others were Machang MP Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub, Cameron Highlands MP Ramli Mohd Nor, Jerantut MP Datuk Ahmad Nazlan Idris and Parit MP Datuk Mohd Nizar Zakaria.

       Ahmad Zahid said the Umno MPs who were present during the press conference were the ones who signed SDs to retract their support for the Perikatan government and Muhyiddin as Prime Minister.

       “For legitimacy purposes, together with me are the MPs who have signed SDs and there are a few MPs who could not be here because they are in their respective areas, for example Sabah,” he said.

       He said he would present the remaining SDs at a later date to the King in an audience.

       This is not including Lenggong MP Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah, who resigned as Energy and Natural Resources Minister earlier yesterday.

       Ahmad Zahid said that following Umno’s emergency supreme council meeting, the party decided it would stand with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and it would not side with the Perikatan government.

       “The government led by Muhyiddin has clearly failed,” he said, citing Article 3.3 of the Umno constitution, which spells out its role in upholding the position of Islam.

       Ahmad Zahid also said the latest statement by Muhyiddin on tabling a motion to debate and annul the Emergency Ordinances (EOs) in the upcoming Parliament session in September does not reflect the current constitutional crisis that was triggered by the revocation of said EOs.

       “The government has clearly gone against the King’s decree and in fact, it has undermined His Majesty, who has decreed multiple times for all Emergency Ordinances to be debated and annulled before Aug 1, not September, in line with Article 150(3) of the Federal Constitution.

       “Muhyiddin must take responsibility for the failure and defiance of the government led by him, which clearly went against the King’s decree, by honourably resigning,” he added.

       Currently, Barisan Nasional has 42 MPs comprising 38 from Umno, two from MCA and one each from MIC and PBRS.

       Perikatan Nasional has 50 MPs comprising 31 from Muhyiddin’s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, 18 from PAS and one from Sabah STAR. It is also supported by Gabungan Parti Sarawak with 18 MPs, PBS (one) and four Independent MPs.