Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa has denied claims that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had allegedly misled the Yang di-Pertuan Agong over the number of federal lawmakers who backed him to form the new Perikatan Nasional government.

In a statement, the Ketereh MP responded to Bersatu Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman's claims against Muhyiddin in a recent interview with Al-Jazeera.

"I listened to Syed Saddiq's Al Jazeera interview. He accused Muhyiddin (of having) misled the King by claiming that 36 MPs from Bersatu were among those who supported him.

"These are blatant lies," stressed Annuar.

Annuar further insisted that Muhyiddin never included Syed Saddiq, Mukhriz Mahathir and former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad in a list of Bersatu MPs who supported him that was presented to the Agong for deliberation.

"I was there when we make (the) final list," he said.

Meanwhile, a PAS lawmaker has similarly hit out at Saddiq for his remarks against Muhyiddin and supposedly, the King.

Kuala Terengganu MP Ahmad Amzad Hashim claimed that Saddiq had purportedly underestimated the King's wisdom in determining which prime minister candidate had majority support from lawmakers.

He also echoed Annuar's statement against Syed Saddiq's claim of Muhyiddin having misled the King.

"This is a very serious allegation because to the best of my memory, as one of those who attended periodic briefings to Perikatan Nasional MPs, he (Muhyiddin) never included the names of those who did not support him.

"Syed Saddiq (above), Mahathir and Mukhriz were never stated as Muhyiddin's supporters," he said, urging Saddiq to calm down and reconsider his words.

Muhyiddin was sworn in as the eighth prime minister on March 1 after a week of political uncertainties sparked by Mahathir's resignation.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah had granted audiences to the majority of the 222 MPs and consulted with the Council of Rulers before consenting to Muhyiddin's appointment.