BN MPs discussing PM candidate - UMNO Supreme Council member

The Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the post of Prime Minister will be decided at a meeting of BN Members of Parliament (MPs) tonight, according to UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsuddin.

"The question of PM candidate we (UMNO Supreme Council) are leaving it to BN MPs who are meeting now.

"Our decision is up to president (Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi), deputy president (Datuk Seri Utama Mohamad Hassan) and BNBBC chairman (Datuk Seri Najib Razak) to discuss with BN MPs," he told reporters at the lobby of Menara Dato Onn at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) tonight.

Earlier, UMNO Supreme Council members had attended a meeting, believed regarding its choice of prime minister candidate for submission to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah tomorrow.

The UMNO meeting began at 8 pm and was followed by the meeting of BN MPs.

Among those present were Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin, Semberong MP Datuk Seri Hishammudin Tun Hussien and Kota Tinggi MP Datuk Halimah Mohammed Sadique.

Earlier today, leaders of political parties were summoned to Istana Negara for an audience with His Majesty, believed in connection with the resignation of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister yesterday.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun, in a statement today, also asked MPs to each submit a statutory declaration (SD) to Istana Negara on their choice of candidate to be nominated as the ninth prime minister.

The SD must be submitted to Istana Negara by 4 pm tomorrow the latest or it would not be considered.

-- BERNAMA