Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah will interview some 90 MPs today, to decide on the prime minister role and subsequently, to form a new government.
The Comptroller of the Royal Household Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin in a special briefing to the media said each MP will be given between 2 and 3 minutes, starting at 2.30pm.
This is the first time such a move is used to appoint a prime minister.
“The personal interview will be done by His Majesty and witnessed by Chief Secretary to the government Datuk Seri Zuki Mohd Ali,” he said, adding that the interview is expected to end at 7pm.
Ahmad Fadil said the process will be done under Article 43(2) of the Federal Constitution which states that the Agong shall appoint a member of the Dewan Rakyat as the prime minister who “in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the House members”.
Asked on the MPs that will be interviewed today, Ahmad Fadil said; “We cannot reveal who the MPs are.”
He said all the MPs were informed on the matter yesterday.
He said the remaining 131 MPs will have the same interview session with the King tomorrow.