KUCHING: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) MPs met the Yang di-Pertuan Agong via videoconferencing from here on Thursday morning (Aug 19) to verify their choice for the next prime minister.

       GPS parliamentary chief whip Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said 17 of the state coalition's 18 MPs were at the virtual audience at a hotel here, where they were joined by independent Lubok Antu MP Jugah Muyang.

       He said Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing was in Kuala Lumpur and would meet the King at Istana Negara.

       "As you know, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is meeting MPs to verify the contents of their statutory declarations, their choice of prime minister, and whether it was made voluntarily.

       "That was the verification we gave. We confirmed that we have nominated a prime minister candidate and it was voluntary," Fadillah told reporters after the audience.

       The Petra Jaya MP said the MPs were called one by one to meet the King during the audience, which started at 10am and lasted about an hour.

       Petra Jaya MP, Datuk Seri Fadilah Yusof waving to media personnel after meeting with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. — ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star

       He declined, however, to reveal the nominee.

       "Wait for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to announce it," he said.

       Santubong MP Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar reiterated that he was backing Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

       "I don't know about the others but I support Ismail Sabri," he said.

       Jugah said he conveyed his support for Ismail Sabri to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong during the audience.

       "I support the government of the day and I'm friendly to GPS and the Perikatan Nasional government," he said.