'I'm not challenging Agong's power' - Charles Santiago

SHAH ALAM - Former Klang MP Charles Santiago said he is not disputing the decision by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah who has given consent to dissolve the Parliament.

Instead, he said he was questioning caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's action requesting for the dissolution of Parliament without the support of the cabinet.

This, he said was because only 17 per cent of Umno members supported for Parliament to be dissolved.

"The MPs from other parties disagree with the decision including Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN).

"If all MPs from PH and PN refused, the number will be 135 people, which is a clear majority," he said in a statement on Saturday.

He said out of 80 ministers and deputy ministers, only 29 were from Barisan Nasional (BN).

"Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar has openly disagreed for the 15th General Election (GE15) to be held this year.

"Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu also said that Ismail Sabri did not inform the cabinet about the dissolution of Parliament," he said.

On Wednesday, Santiago filed a lawsuit against Ismail Sabri over the advice to dissolve Parliament to hold GE15 during the flood season, this year.

The legal action was filed two days after Ismail Sabri announced the dissolution of Parliament effective Oct 10 to pave way for GE15 after obtaining consent from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Santiago said however, on Friday, Ismail Sabri and the other defendants named in the lawsuit namely the government and the Election Commission (EC) had through law firm Messrs Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak filed a striking out application.

"They have filed an application to quash my originating summons.

"Our position is clear that we challenge the advice given by Ismail Sabri to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong," he said.