Claims that DAP is backing Muhyiddin for PM are false, says Loke

PETALING JAYA: Claims that DAP is backing Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to become premier again and that he has sufficient support from Opposition MPs to retake Putrajaya are false, says Anthony Loke.

"If that is the case, he (Muhyiddin) would have been sworn in as Prime Minister right? That is, of course, not true," the DAP secretary-general said when contacted on Tuesday (May 31).

Loke said that DAP would not even consider supporting such a move.

"Do you think that DAP will give our support to Muhyiddin?" he asked.

Loke was responding to claims made by Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal that he was approached by Muhyiddin two months ago and proposed to lead the coalition after securing support from Pakatan Harapan.

On Monday (May 30), Shafie alleged that Muhyiddin, the Pagoh MP, had claimed that he had the backing of 119 MPs out of the present 220 MPs in the Dewan Rakyat following negotiations with Loke and Pakatan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Shafie made the claim during a gathering in Libaran, telling the crowd that Warisan had given Muhyiddin the snub.

In February 2020, Muhyiddin was appointed as prime minister following the Sheraton Move, which led to the collapse of the 22-month-old Pakatan government.

The move saw Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and a faction led by PKR's then deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali joining forces with PAS and Barisan Nasional to oust Pakatan from Putrajaya.