The Speaker, Johari Abdul, said he had received a letter from Syed Saddiq applying to change his seating position in the house, Bernama reported.

“I have received his letter asking for a change in seating. No problem; I have asked the administration staff to move his place to the opposition area,” he told reporters at Parliament House today.

Syed Saddiq, who is president of Muda, said yesterday he had decided to end support for the government and would become the third force in the opposition.

His decision came after government MPs had questioned the party’s position after Syed Saddiq expressed dissatisfaction over the conditional discharge granted to Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on 47 charges of embezzlement, bribery and abuse of power.

The withdrawal of support leaves the government one seat short of a two-thirds majority necessary to make constitutional amendments.

Muda was an ally of the unity coalition, providing support for confidence and supply matters in the Dewan Rakyat. Syed Saddiq has said he would continue to support measures aimed at carrying out institutional reforms.

The Dewan Rakyat is holding a special six-day sitting for the mid-term review of the 12th Malaysia Plan which was tabled for debate by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today.

The debate on the mid-term review will be held for three days beginning tomorrow before government ministries give their replies on Sept 18-19.