“I would like to state that I have never written any letter to the prime minister as reported. The news in question is fake news,” he said, following a report that Muhyiddin had received a letter from him.

The report said Azhar had told Muhyiddin that 121 MPs had rejected him as the prime minister, and that this would trigger Article 43(4) of the Federal Constitution, which states that the prime minister must resign immediately.

Today, a source said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had reminded Muhyiddin on what the Federal Constitution says about losing the majority support of MPs, during his routine pre-Cabinet meeting audience.

The source said “the King did not explicitly instruct Muhyiddin to resign, but touched on Article 43(4) of the constitution”.

A party insider later said Muhyiddin is expected to meet all party leaders who are aligned to him today. Among the items on the agenda are a plan to bring forward the parliamentary sitting to next week and to dissolve Parliament.