PETALING JAYA: It is learned that the Parliament will likely be dissolved before this October, as Umno’s Top 5 discuss an “auspicious date” for election date which will be finalised by the prime minister.

Umno’s Top 5 are president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and vice presidents Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid and Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

A source close to Umno told Sin Chew Daily the prime minister hoped to hold the general election only after tabling the 2023 Budget, but the other party leaders wanted the election as early as possible.

The tabling of the 2023 Budget is originally slated for October 28 this year.

“There are three options for the date to table the Budget: first week of October, third week of October, or bring forward to this September.”

The source said whichever date to table the Budget, the Parliament would be dissolved immediately after that or on the following day.

Meanwhile, it is rumoured that Perikatan Nasional has threatened to withdraw from the government after prime minster Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob cancelled last-minute his meeting with PN secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin originally scheduled at 2.30 p.m. yesterday, in protest of the prime minister’s reluctance to honour the agreement to appoint a Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia leader as deputy prime minister.

However, a source close to Bersatu told Sin Chew Daily the party’s president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is now on vacation in London, has yet to make a final decision.

Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan confirmed that PN would hold a supreme council meeting to discuss the prime minister’s last-minute cancellation of his meeting with Hamzah.

However, he insisted that the cancellation did not signal the end of PN-Umno relationship.

“No, at this juncture only the PM has cancelled the meeting, and we will bring this matter to the PN supreme council meeting.”

When contacted by Sin Chew Daily, Wan Saiful nevertheless did not elaborate on when the PN supreme council would meet.