PETALING JAYA: The letter from the 12 Perikatan Nasional (PN) ministers to the King triggered the dissolution of parliament, says Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Responding to PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s statement today, the Umno president said these ministers could have brought the matter to Cabinet for a discussion before going to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
“This is a malicious attempt from Barisan Nasional (BN) enemies to humiliate the prime minister (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob) from BN.
“Firstly, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had threatened to withdraw his support for Ismail Sabri.
“Secondly, Muhyiddin openly criticised the prime minister for allegedly failing in managing the country and the economy.
“Then, he urged for the dissolution of parliament, saying there was a need for a better government, and now, he is trying to deny his own statement,“ Zahid said in a statement today.
Zahid then said the prime minister could have sacked these ministers, but he did not because that would have distrupted the disharmony among cabinet members.
“The Prime Minister could have sacked the 12 Cabinet Ministers, but that would have led to a bigger and more serious crisis and involved no-confidence votes. The best way to deal with the indiscipline Cabinet members was to ask the King to dissolve Parliament,“ he added.
Yesterday, Muhyiddin said it was irresponsible for Ismail Sabri to say that PN was the cause of the GE15.