King to interview MPs to decide on eighth PM

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah will hold special interviews for two days involving 221 Members of Parliament (MP) to determine who will be the eighth Prime Minister of Malaysia.

The interviews, however will not include interim PM, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

This is the first time in Malaysia’s political history for the King to have an audience with all MPs on a one-on-one basis, and witnessed by the Chief Secretary, Datuk Seri Mohd Zuki Ali.

According to Comptroller of the Royal Household for Istana Negara Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin, the interviews will be divided into two sessions and will not be segregated by parties.

“The first group of 90 people will be interviewed at 2.30pm today. Each MP will be interviewed for about two to three minutes. The rest will be interviewed tomorrow,” said Ahmad Fadil during a press conference at the Istana Negara, today.

The Dewan Rakyat boasts 222 MPs, mandated in the 14th General Election in 2018.

The current political uncertainties have witnessed unexpected twists in the country's political turmoil over the past three days.

On Monday, Dr Mahathir resigned as the seventh Prime Minister after a letter of resignation was sent to Istana Negara.

Dr Mahathir was appointed by the King as interim PM, pending the appointment of a new Prime Minister in accordance with Article 43 (2) (a) of the Federal Constitution.