AT 12 MPs FROM UMNO & A BN PARTY MAY VOTE AGAINST ANWAR’S BUDGET 2024 IN OCT – IF MUHYIDDIN’S PN WINS AT LEAST 4 STATES IN UPCOMING ELECTION – THE USUAL ‘ANTI-ZAHID & ANTI-UNITY GOVT’ CULPRITS INCLUDING HISHAM & ISMAIL SABRI FACTIONS ALONG WITH EITHER MCA & MIC COME TO MIND

PETALING JAYA: Several MPs could vote against Budget 2024 in October if Perikatan Nasional wins big in the state elections next month, says a Johor Umno leader.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the leader said the scenario could become a reality if PN manages to win four or more states on Aug 12.

“If they win four or five states then, yes, you may see government MPs voting against the budget.

“At least 12 MPs may rebel, including one minister from the previous administration,” said the source, adding that the rebels were from Umno and a party friendly to Barisan Nasional.

“Many within the party are not in favour of him. Hence, you will also see a huge number of Umno members not voting in the state elections,” he said.

The source also said Sabah and Sarawak MPs may cross to the opposition, if offered ministerial posts.

“PN is keen to form the government, so they would give as many ministerial posts as required to fulfil the needs of these MPs,” he said.

Currently, the unity government controls 148 of the 222 seats in the Dewan Rakyat, meaning that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim would still have enough support for the next budget even if 12 MPs were to desert the government bloc.

However, any such rebellion would be seen as a significant gesture of defiance, and government whips will be concerned that it may affect future votes on the floor of the lower house.

Another source from Umno, known to favour Zahid, said the situation was worrying.

“Yes, we are very much aware of this move, hence we need to ensure every member comes and votes for the party,” he said.

“The likelihood of voting against the budget would be known when we see the results for the state elections, especially in Selangor.

“If Selangor topples then, yes, we will be worried as it is an indication that PN has the support of the people,” added the Umno leader from Negeri Sembilan.

On Monday, The Vibes reported that PN hopes to persuade Umno members to cross over following the state elections.

“We are confident of bringing them into the fold in post-election negotiations,” PAS vice-president Idris Ahmad was quoted as saying.

“Umno now is on the verge of ruin, no thanks to it having Zahid as its president,” he said.

Meanwhile, a source from Warisan said some of its members were unhappy with the party’s leadership for keeping the Sabah-led party out of the polls.

“A small group wanted the party to contest, but the peninsular leadership supports the decision by party president Shafie Apdal and the Supreme Council to stay out of the state elections,” the source, who is based in Peninsular Malaysia, said.

The source also said that the unhappy ones, mainly based in Sabah, feel that the party should make an impact in the peninsula.

“They feel the party should not be nodding in agreement to everything Anwar Ibrahim wants but must make a stand.”

In Sarawak, a GPS leader said most of the MPs within the party are likely to accept its president’s decisions, although “there may be three or four who go against him”.

He said rumours of MPs showing support for PN were nothing new.

Since coming to power in November, Anwar has had to fend off repeated talk about the legitimacy of his government and of PN moving to topple him.

As recently as May, the prime minister made reference to rumours of one such attempt, calling it “sabotage”.

He said he was fed up with constant rumours of plots to bring down the unity government, including claiming that a group of BN MPs were colluding with PN to bring down the government.

Anwar called on scheming parties to table a motion of no confidence against him in the next Dewan Rakyat meeting. No such motion was filed.

FMT previously reported that 10 MPs from BN intended to force by-elections by quitting their parties. The 10 had initially backed PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin for the prime minister’s post after the 15th general election resulted in a hung parliament.

FREE MALAYSIA TODAY

.