PETALING JAYA: Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi described allegations that 25 MPs had lost confidence in him as a "cartoon".

       "Lost confidence to another MP? That's a cartoon story," Ahmad Zahid was quoted as saying by Utusan Malaysia on Thursday (June 24).

       Ahmad Zahid was responding to claims by Umno stalwart lawmaker Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz that 25 MPs out of 41 from the Barisan Nasional coalition had lost confidence in him.

       On Wednesday (June 23), Nazri had said that the Barisan lawmakers did not want Ahmad Zahid - who is the chairperson of the coalition - to represent them during his recent audience with the King.

       The King had summoned an audience with heads of political parties separately at Istana Negara begining June 9.

       Nazri said the loss of trust in Ahmad Zahid stemmed from his previous meeting with the King as Umno chief.

       He said the 25 MPs agreed to give Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein the mandate to meet the King and to "set the record straight" against support for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim becoming prime minister.

       Nazri stressed the declaration were not signed to topple Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin or to form a new government.

       Last October, Ahmad Zahid allegedly gave a letter to the King pledging the support of all Umno MPs to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to be prime minister. Ahmad Zahid's office has since claimed that the letter was fake although claimed otherwise by former Barisan secretary-general Tan Sri Anuar Musa.

       The political intrigue began on June 9 after the King granted audiences to the heads of political parties to deliberate the current Covid-19 situation amidst the Emergency Proclamation that is due to expire on Aug 1.