PN on the verge of a u-turn, now receptive of Agong's unity government proposal

SHAH ALAM - After having rejected the proposal of forming a unity government, Perikatan Nasional (PN) seemed to have embarked on what could possibly result in a u-turn of its previous refusal over the matter.

The coalition secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin today announced that PN supreme council has deliberated over the proposal to form a unity government as espoused the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in a bid end the country's post-election limbo.

"In accordance to that, the council has agreed to consider the idea of a unity government which involves further discussions with any like-minded parties for the welfare of the people and the stability of the country," read Hamzah's brief statement.

PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has -- prior to Hamzah's statement -- repeatedly insisted that PN will not work together with Pakatan Harapan to form government, stressing that such was the stance that the coalition has taken.

Malaysia has invariably entered a political impasse after none of the parties which stood in 15th General Election (GE15) last Saturday won enough parliamentary seats to form government.

Pakatan Harapan (PH) has won the most seats at 82, followed by Perikatan Nasional (PN): 73; Barisan Nasional (BN): 30; Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS): 22; Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS): 7 and others: 6.

The stalemate occurred as parties needed to at least secure 112 parliamentary seats to form government as Malaysia has a total of 222 parliamentary seats.

Throughout the gridlock both numero uno from PH and PN -- Anwar and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, respectively -- have been negotiating with rival party BN, in a bid to woo support from its 30 MPs to form government.

While BN had initially insisted that its MPs wanted to remain neutral in backing neither PH nor PN as it wanted to be the opposition in the Dewan Rakyat, this stance seemed to have changed following yesterday's audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

In a statement earlier this morning, Umno has expressed its unanimous support in upholding the proposal from the Agong over the formation of a unity government that will not be led by PN.