PETALING JAYA: The letter from 12 Perikatan Nasional ministers to the King remains a hot potato, even one week after it was sent.
A day after the letter was blamed for the dissolution of Parliament, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali accused the Prime Minister of turning his back on Cabinet decisions.
“It wasn’t us (Perikatan ministers) turning our backs against him with the letter to the King,” he said.
Ministers from PAS and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia wrote to the King on Oct 5, voicing their objection to having a general election this year in view of the expected monsoon season, besides the need to focus on economic recovery.
In a statement yesterday, Azmin said the Cabinet discussed the dissolution on Sept 21 and decided to focus on economic recovery.
He said the stand of the Cabinet ministers to reject a dissolution in the letter was merely a confirmation of the decision on Sept 21.
“Why does Ismail Sabri now dispute the decision of the Cabinet?” said Azmin, a Bersatu supreme council member.
Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin also refuted talk that the letter had caused disharmony in the Cabinet.
He said the last Cabinet meeting held last Friday went on as usual in a friendly atmosphere.
“There was no tension. We are friends and mature enough to know about each other’s (political) position.
“I am a party man and I was expressing my party’s views and concerns on the matter (to the King).
“Likewise, Ismail Sabri is also a party man and followed his party’s wishes for elections to be called,” he told reporters yesterday.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the move by the 12 ministers in sending the letter to the King had caused disharmony in the Cabinet, forcing his hand to dissolve Parliament.
Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the matter could have been discussed within the Cabinet, without having to go to the Palace.
