PETALING JAYA: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia supreme council members are currently in a meeting Saturday (Aug 21) night to decide the way forward after the swearing-in of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as Malaysia's ninth Prime Minister.

       The meeting, chaired by former prime minister and Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin began at about 8.30pm and is being held at a hotel in the city.

       Among the other supreme council members present are party deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu, secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin, women's wing chief Datuk Seri Rina Harun and supreme council members Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and Datuk Zuraidah Kamaruddin.

       It is believed that the discussion will mainly be centred on who was the best choice to take up the deputy prime minister's post.

       Bersatu, the biggest bloc in Perikatan Nasional with 31 MPs, was said to have been given complete say over who becomes the next deputy prime minister, after they threw their full support behind Ismail Sabri, with the party even giving up the prime minister's post to Ismail Sabri's party, Umno.

       "The main contenders are Hamzah and Azmin as both have brought in many MPs with them when they entered the party," said a source.

       "Both were also the main players of the 'Sheraton Move', during which Muhyiddin became the prime minister.

       "However, the Bersatu supreme council will make the final decision," the source added.

       It was not known if a decision would be made tonight or if this was one of the first discussions on the matter, the source added.

       Prior to this, there have been reports of two other contenders for the post from Bersatu - Ahmad Faizal and Datuk Seri Redzuan Yusof, said to be one of the main founders of the party.