Cabinet meeting and Budget 2023 on as planned

PETALING JAYA: The much-hyped dissolution of Parliament is not taking place yet, with the Cabinet meeting and the tabling of Budget 2023 to go on as scheduled today.

The Prime Minister, who had an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, was mum on what was discussed and headed straight for a meeting with Umno top guns at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur.

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Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who arrived at 3.49pm for a meeting with Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, left the palace almost an hour later.

He only waved to the waiting media as the car that brought him left Istana Negara yesterday.

The meeting with the King had been closely watched as many were anticipating that Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob would seek a dissolution of Parliament.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa, meanwhile, told reporters in Parliament that the weekly Cabinet meeting would go on as scheduled, while Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun said the tabling of Budegt 2023 would also be done as planned at 4pm today.

Annuar said the ministers would attend the meeting as usual.

“The issue of dissolution does not arise, because the Cabinet is convening tomorrow,” he told Astro Awani in an interview.

He said that even if Parliament was dissolved, they would continue to function as a caretaker government.

“We have to take care of so many things, including inflation, because inflation, prices, and supplies are daily matters. The government will continue to shoulder this responsibility,” he said, adding that the Special Task Force on Jihad Against Inflation would also continue its duties.

Annuar said that, in the past, there was one ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional, but the current government is made up of a few coalitions such as Barisan, Perikatan Nasional, and GPS.

“The procedure is not the same as in previous years. The decision used to be absolute when Barisan made a call because the coalition chairman and prime minister were the same person and there was one coalition.

“The situation is a little bit different now. Please give the Prime Minister some space,” he added.

Nevertheless, he said, the steps taken will be in line with the Federal Constitution.

“When you read the Constitution, only the King can dissolve Parliament, and His Majesty can accept or decline,” said Annuar.