Sarawak Report has learned from separate reliable sources that the usual suspects have been rounding up their networks of MPs in an attempt to overturn the outcome of the election.

Over the last 48 hours MPs loyal to UMNO, PAS, Bersatu and Azmin Ali have been pressured to fly in from all corners to KL to sign a so-called SD or statutory declaration to support the continuance of 95 year old Dr Mahathir as prime minister until the next election, in a direct defiance of the Harapan coalition pact to transfer power to Anwar Ibrahim.

As to how the proposed SD will actually be used it is clear that many of the MPs who are being strong-armed into signing it are unclear. Rumours abound that if sufficient numbers are obtained the organisers intend to march themselves to the palace to attempt to get the Agong to acquiesce – an ‘effective coup’ as one angry Harapan MP described the move to Sarawak Report.

The King might well insist in such circumstances that any such decision be made through Parliament, where it is now acknowledged the same agitators are already setting about attempting to raise a motion at the coming session.

PAS yesterday conceded that bringing such a ‘Confidence Vote’ is their present plan.  They are working together with at least a good chunk of UMNO, who see it as the best way to take back control of government by splitting the prime minister from the coalition that backed him at the election (in return for his pledge to Anwar and a reform manifesto).

That way they would hope to keep Najib and a number of themselves out of jail altogether or at the very worst to ensure Harapan loses the next election, enabling them to reverse their sentences and seize back power.

PAS leaders have described such manoeuvres as ‘legitimate’ under the rules of parliamentary democracy, the deception of voters in their view being incidental as long as no one can prove the inducements offered to the frog MPs.

However, the plotters face major obstacles to the realising of their fond scenario, not least that any such confidence motion is unlikely to reach the top of the order paper unless it receives notice of backing by the government as official business.

To do so would force Dr Mahathir to publicly admit he is supportive of these manoeuvres by the opposition parties and malcontents in Harapan whilst at the same time risking defeat given the apparent fine balance of MPs – each side claims it has managed to gain a majority of supporters.

It would therefore seem clear that the main reason for rounding up these SDs is that the plotters hope to be able to thereby nail down their numbers and strengthen their hand to tempt the prime minister to give them their day in Parliament.

What Dr Mahathir would gain from such a move remains hard to ascertain. He would immediately confirm existing fears over his willingness to betray the voters who put him in power, create fury and emnity among MPs from his own coalition and place himself at the mercy of the very schemers and alleged criminals he returned to politics in order to hold to account.

Likewise, PKR collaborators, such as Azmin Ali, would find themselves under such a realignment to be very small fish in the new political pond … swimming amongst sharks.

The winners would be Najib, Rosmah, Hisahamuddin, Zahid and Hadi’s PAS, which is why these are the main players behind the SD.  How many of the MPs signing up were voted into office to help those folks will eventually become clear if and when this secret exercise eventually becomes public. Sarawak Report is aware that this is in fact the second such exercise – a raft of signatures remain hostage to exposure on a previous SD document that has already been signed but as yet not used.

Compared to criticism and perceived disrespect to the high and mighty, there could surely be no better example of genuine seditious intent than to over throw the decisions of the people in a democracy as this SD seeks to do?