KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 — Jelebu MP Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias has dismissed claims that 14 Umno MPs have withdrawn support for the government, calling the allegations circulating on social media baseless.

He said any suggestion of Umno lawmakers defecting was entirely false, stressing that all party MPs were bound by an agreement and a RM100 million bond.

“That’s completely untrue. I haven’t heard anything about it,” he was reported to have said by Utusan Malaysia.

The national daily also reported Jalaluddin as saying that Umno amended its constitution on January 13, 2023 to prevent its MPs from acting against party decisions, including forming alliances to support a prime ministerial candidate.

“This includes signing agreements to form coalitions with rival parties, which goes against Umno’s stance,” he said after presenting welfare aid at the Jelebu Umno Complex yesterday.

Jalaluddin, who is also the Negeri Sembilan Umno chief, reiterated that such claims on social media were unfounded, adding that speculation over the alleged defection of 14 MPs had been repeatedly raised by certain quarters.