The Malaysian Insight

POLITICIANS must not put the country’s future at stake for the sake of personal agendas, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong said. 

“Elected lawmakers should instead focus on battling the Covid-19 outbreak to help Malaysia recover,” said Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah during his royal address in Parliament today. 

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong was delivering his customary royal address ahead of the first meeting of the 14th Parliament this year. 

His speech, which was broadcast live, was made to representatives of both houses – Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara.

Since taking over, Sultan Abdullah said that he has seen two prime ministers resign following political conflicts.

In February last year, under the Pakatan Harapan administration Dr Mahathir Mohamad resigned as prime minister after losing the support of his party Bersatu, while his successor Muhyiddin Yassin quit on August 16 after 14 Umno MPs withdrew their support for him.

He said he appointed Ismail Sabri Yaakob in accordance to Articles 40(2)(a) and 43(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution after receiving 114 statutory declarations supporting the Bera MP.

The Agong, however, did not say whether Ismail should follow his predecessors Hussein Onn and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and seek a confidence vote in Parliament. 

In the royal address, Sultan Abdullah advised politicians to be more consultative to find solutions.

“Politicians (of both divides) are also advised to consult one another to find solutions and in this regard I welcome the government’s efforts to involve all MPs in governance,” said Sultan Abdullah.

“I appreciate the efforts made for this new bipartisan approach to start a new political approach to governance. Malaysians will welcome this maturity and politicians are advised to let bygones be bygones.

“The victors should not take everything while the losers should not lose everything,” the king said.

He said that Malaysia can only overcome the economic and health crises caused by the Covid-19 epidemic as one family.

The monarch is believed to be referring to the memorandum of understanding that will be signed between the government and PH today.

On Friday, Ismail offered seven reforms to the opposition in exchange for legislative support. – September 13, 2021.