19 assemblymen granted audience with Kedah Sultan this morning

Among those spotted arriving at Wisma Darul Aman here starting from 9.15 am were Kedah State Assembly Opposition Leader Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor (Jeneri), Datuk Dr Mohd Hayati Othman (Tokai), Datuk Siti Ashah Ghazali (Merbau Pulas), Datuk Suraya Yaacob (Sungai Tiang) and Datuk Norsabrina Mohd Noor (Bandar Baharu).

The audience was granted by the Sultan following the current political developments in the state which affected the position of Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir as the Menteri Besar.

Members of the media were denied entry to the Wisma Darul Aman and were only allowed to wait outside the gate.

Bernama was made to understand that the assemblymen of Pakatan Harapan were also scheduled to have an audience with the Sultan later in the afternoon.

Last Tuesday, two PKR assemblymen Azman Nasrudin (Lunas) and Dr Robert Ling (Sidam) announced their decision to quit the party and become Independent assemblymen and pledged their support to Perikatan Nasional coalition under the leadership of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

On the same day, Muhammad Sanusi announced that 19 out of 36 assemblymen in the state had lost their confidence in Mukhriz's leadership.

He also claimed that four Bersatu assemblyman had also lost their confidence in the Menteri Besar, who is also Bersatu deputy president.

The state government is currently ruled by Pakatan Harapan coalition which holds 19 state seats, comprising PKR (seven), Bersatu (six), Amanah (four) and DAP (two).

PAS holds the other 15 seats, while UMNO, two.