An aide to Gombak MP Azmin Ali has denied reports claiming that Azmin had threatened to withdraw support for Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob if the latter did not appoint Azmin to be his deputy.

Azmin’s political secretary Muhammad Hilman Idham said the reports by Malaysiakini and Free Malaysia Today were “absolutely false, malicious, and irresponsible”.

“The reports are certainly aimed to threaten the growing stability and unity within Perikatan Nasional in support of Ismail Sabri’s leadership as prime minister."