“None, none,” he said when asked on a reported broadcast on Astro Awani regarding a special meeting involving Umno divisional leaders yesterday. It was claimed that the leaders failed to reach a consensus in urging the prime minister to interfere in Najib’s court case.

When approached by the media after speaking at the closing of Budget 2023 consultations held at the finance ministry here today, the prime minister was also asked on his meeting with several Umno leaders at Seri Perdana last night.

Ismail, who is also an Umno vice-president, said he was briefed on the party’s preparedness, as stated by its deputy president, Mohamad Hasan in a statement issued in Perak.

“The deputy president touched on the Umno divisional meetings, the party’s preparations for the 15th general election (GE15) and on strengthening the party,” he added.

On the reported calls made by Umno divisional leaders for GE15 to be held soon, Ismail said he was not aware of this as he was not at the meeting held at the party headquarters in Menara Dato Onn, Kuala Lumpur, yesterday.

The media had quoted Sungai Besar division chief Jamal Yunos as saying that the majority of the party’s divisional leaders had agreed that GE15 should be held as soon as possible.