BERA: Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has strongly denied claims that he and 13 other Barisan Nasional Members of Parliament have withdrawn their support from the unity government, as circulated on social media recently.
He affirmed his full support for the government and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's leadership.
"This issue has been around for a while, and initially, I did not want to entertain it because it is not true, but it persists through writings and videos.
"Thus, today (March 22), I feel compelled to respond, this is not true, and no one has left Umno or Barisan; instead, we remain in the government," he told Sinar Harian.
The Bera MP suggested that certain parties might have malicious intentions and are spreading slander against the 13 MPs, particularly him.
"I believe there might be ill intentions behind these stories, especially targeting me, damaging my image, even though I have always stated my allegiance to Umno.
"It is also slander aiming to create discord amongst us and sow distrust among Barisan MPs," he stated.
Ismail Sabri highlighted that Barisan MPs' full support is evidenced by actions such as backing the vote of confidence in the current government.
"When it was presented initially, all 30 Barisan MPs fully supported the motion, and we fully support every bill introduced.
Ismail Sabri attended the Bubur Lambuk Stirring and Distribution Programme organised by the Bera Umno Youth and Puteri on Saturday.
He emphasised that his denial should put an end to the rumours, and all involved continue to fully support the existing government.
Earlier, Barisan Secretary-General Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Kadir also denied any claims regarding efforts to disrupt unity among the party's MPs.
He stated that he is aware of all current political developments and emphasised that any arising speculation is merely the game of certain parties with their own interests.
Meanwhile, when asked about his activities during Ramadan, Ismail Sabri admitted he had not had the chance to explore bazaars and gather feedback from traders about prices and sales as usual.
"My health is improving, Alhamdulillah, and I thank the public for their kind comments and prayers for my well-being," he said.
