KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PH - Port Dickson) today took aim at Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob for defending the current government following Istana Negara's rebuke.
Anwar, who is opposition leader, said it was strange that Ismail Sabri, who is from Pahang, did not appear to understand the decree by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who is also the Pahang ruler.
"If Ismail is confident of the numbers (110 members of parliament in support of the PM) let's test it in the House.
"He's a minister. He is from Pahang. Doesn't he know what's the meaning of 'derhaka' (treason)? Doesn't he understand what is meant by 'the King's decree'?
"I'd like to advise Ismail Sabri to read the laws, respect the constitution and respect the Agong's decree," he told a press conference in parliament today.
Istana Negara in a statement today said the King was "extremely disappointed" by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan's statement in Monday that the Emergency Ordinances had been revoked.
The palace said Article 150(2B), which is read together with Article of 150 (3) of the Federal Constitution, stipulated that the powers to amend and revoke the ordinances falls under the prerogative of the King.
It added that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong stressed that the statement made by the minister during the sitting on July 26 was not accurate and had misled members of the Dewan Rakyat.
Ismail Sabri, not long after, said the government still ha the support of over 110 MPs despite his party, Umno, having reiterated their stance that its MPs will no longer lend their support to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his government.
Anwar, meanwhile, said his motion to seek the removal of Muhyiddin as prime minister has been submitted to the Speaker's office.
He said Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun has acknowledged receiving his motion but did not confirm whether the motion will be heard in the House on Monday.
Following a series of postponements to the special Parliament sitting today, it was later announced that proceedings have been adjourned to Monday, the final day of the special sitting.