Umno MPs still seated with Bersatu despite strained ties

PETALING JAYA: Umno ministers and lawmakers remained seated in the government bloc in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (July 26) despite tensions with its partner Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) in Perikatan Nasional coalition.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein are seated together with Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and other Cabinet ministers such as Senior Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali and Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

Ismail, who was previously a Senior Minister, is now seated next to the Prime Minister.

Umno lawmakers are seated next to PAS, Bersatu and its coalition partners from MCA, MIC and lawmakers from East Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (BN-Gua Musang) and Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub (BN-Machang) are also seated within the government bloc despite expressing their views to withdraw their support for the Prime Minister.

The special meeting of the Third Session of the 14th Parliament will be held from July 26 to 29 and on Aug 2.

All the 220 MPs, including those who have yet to be vaccinated, are allowed to attend the special sitting, which will be conducted in full adherence to the standard operating procedure to curb Covid-19, including requiring all attendees to pass swab tests and wear face masks.