KUALA LUMPUR: The statutory declarations (SD) sent to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong by Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had also included Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), sources claimed.
According to insiders privy to the matter, Muhyiddin did this despite GPS' statement today that the coalition would leave matters regarding the formation of a new government to the king's discretion.
They said this was the reason why Muhyiddin was left confused after his audience with the King at 4.30pm today when the monarch said the Pagoh MP did not have the majority in the Dewan Rakyat.
One source said although Muhyiddin had submitted the SDs yesterday and GPS had only emerged with its statement today, it was widely understood that the deadline to submit such a document to Istana Negara was at 2pm today.
"As long as the deadline has not approached yet, anyone can change their mind.
"He (Muhyiddin) thought by submitting the SDs early it would help secure his second attempt to be prime minister.
"He said he was shocked at what His Majesty said, that he didn't have the majority, but the entire country had already seen the GPS statement earlier today.
"Basically, GPS' consent was not properly sought by PN," the source told the New Straits Times.
In the 15th General Election (GE15), PN scored 73 parliamentary seats, which is insufficient for the pact to form a government on its own.
In a press conference after his audience with the king today, Muhyiddin said he had submitted the SDs to Istana Negara yesterday.
According to him, he had secured the support of 115 members of parliament, hence a simple majority was achieved.
Without GPS's 23 seats, PN is now left with 92 seats.
The identities of the remaining 19 MPs who signed the SD with PN are not yet known, although it is believed that a significant number of them are from Barisan Nasional (BN).
Due to internal conflict, BN today decided it would not align itself with PN or Pakatan Harapan, although its secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said the coalition's doors remained open for negotiations.
Since neither PN nor PH could secure the required majority, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has summoned all 30 BN MPs to Istana Negara tomorrow morning.
