VIEWS and cues of political parties regarding the dissolution of Parliament cannot change and influence the power of the prime minister (PM) to advise Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah on the matter.

PM Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (picture) said the call from several parties for the dissolution of Parliament not to be announced soon, although taken into consideration, will also not influence him in making his decision.

He said the decision to dissolve the Parliament should not involve open discussion, including involving the government and the Opposition parties, but instead should be done only if the PM feels Parliament should be dissolved.

“The decision to dissolve the Parliament has nothing to do with other political parties. It was never discussed openly before. The Parliament dissolves when the PM announces the dissolution.

“No political parties ever gave their opinions or interfered in the matter. Never. It was never discussed within the (ruling) party, let alone with others,” he told reporters after launching the Idea Bina Negara digital platform in Shah Alam, today.

Ismail Sabri said as the PM, he has the power to advise the King to dissolve the Parliament, but it is the King who has the absolute power to make it happen.

“Some say it should be dissolved before the tabling of Budget 2023, some say it should be on Monday after the tabling, some say next month, some say next year, so many speculations. Let’s just wait,” he said.

On the expiry of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Transformation and Political Stability and the Opposition’s support for the PM, Ismail Sabri reiterated that there was no expiry date but the MoU will stand until the Parliament is dissolved.

“When the Parliament is dissolved, the MoU will be nullified,” he said.

On the alleged failed negotiation on Umno-PAS collaboration, Ismail Sabri said Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang had held a meeting before but the negotiation will not be completed with just one meeting.

“It involves discussions of major issues, such as cooperation during elections. One meeting will not resolve it all, there may be other things that need to be discussed, so the discussions continue.

“It is not a failed negotiation until it is declared so,” he added. — Bernama