The Malaysian Insight

IT is unprecedented for the king to issue such a sharp rebuke to the government.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah said the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government had tried to bypass his office on the issue of revoking emergency ordinances. In addition to which, the government had also failed to respect the Agong’s position as the supreme head of Malaysia.

The king also pointed out that Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Parliament) Takiyuddin Hassan had ignored his order to table the ordinance in Parliament for debate and approval.

And above all, that Takiyuddin had misled Parliament on July 26.

However, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement yesterday, saying the government had acted legally in revoking the ordinances.

The Malaysian Insight looks at what could happen next.

Muhyiddin quits, Umno wins

Following the royal rebuke, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who chaired the cabinet meeting that decided to cancel the ordinances on July 21, resigns together with his cabinet.

After that, the king asks the government parties – PN, Barisan Nasional (BN), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and independents – to pick a new prime minister.

But with uncertainty surrounding support for the PN government, the new prime minister will need to convince the king that he has the support of more than 110 MPs in the 220-member Dewan Rakyat.

Although BN (with 42 MPs) is now smaller in size compared to PN’s 50, it is likely that a new prime minister will come out of Umno as they will literally be the king makers. Without Umno, there would be no PN government.

After all, Ismail Sabri Yaakob is now the deputy prime minister.

Some of the Umno MPs who moved to Bersatu may even return to their old party.

Muhyiddin stays but Takiyuddin goes

Although the cabinet unilaterally and collectively decided to cancel the emergency ordinances, some would argue that it was all Takiyuddin’s fault.

The PAS secretary-general announced the revocation in Parliament. He backed it and he is the respective minister.

More than that, the king had named him and Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun’s brother, Idrus, who is the attorney-general.

The royal rebuke did not name Muhyiddin or anyone else. Hence, it could be argued that only one person should resign.

The Kota Bharu MP’s resignation would save some face for Muhyiddin and ensure he continues as prime minister, while his PAS colleague can also keep their seats.

However, this will not cure Muhyiddin’s headache as Umno is divided on their support for him. While Takiyuddin’s resignation alone is no more than a temporary fix to a long-term problem.

Nobody needs to quit

As one political “pundit” wrote today, the king’s statement is just a matter of a difference of opinions.

Writing on Facebook, he argued that PN believes that the government can cancel emergency ordinances on its own while the king thinks that it is his prerogative.

The writer argued that PN should not worry and just carry on. More than that, the government can always ask the Federal Court to decide who is right and who is wrong.

This again is just a temporary fix as PN will still have to face a vote in Parliament during budget time in October. Also, the opposition will have a field day telling voters how the government ignored the king a second time by refusing to correct its mistake.

It will be interesting to see which MPs will back a government that has taken the Supreme Head of the Federation to court over the latter’s powers.

Mageran (National Operations Council)

And last but not least is if Muhyiddin requests for Parliament to be dissolved. In general, it is established in law and practice that the king would accede to the government’s request.

But with the Covid-19 pandemic still burning feverishly every day, would he do so?

If not, the king again has to play referee a la Perak 2009 and Selangor 2014.

But with support for PN or the opposition shaky at best, the king may very well accept Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s suggestion for some sort of unity government or Mageran.

This would avoid holding elections at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and also put a temporary moratorium on politics. Fresh elections can be held again when the pandemic is brought under control.

It is a downside for the Bersatu president and more than half of his cabinet.

Note: At the time of writing, the government said it had followed procedures and done no wrong. – July 30, 2021.