The Perikatan Nasional (PN) government wants the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to act on the advice of the cabinet but former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad argued that the ruler can refuse to do so as his powers have been expanded under the state of emergency.
Mahathir said this in pushing for a National Operations Council (NOC) to take over from the PN government, similar to the council known as Mageran that governed the country following the 1969 riots.
“After the emergency was declared, the Agong’s power increased and it is as if the Agong is the chief executive now.
“He can handle the problems that I mentioned (health, economy, politics and social problems) and he can appoint anyone for the job so that the objective is achieved.
“It is not mentioned that he must get advice from the government, it is not mentioned,” Mahathir said in an interview with Sinar Harian yesterday.
The Agong is set to hold a meeting with the Council of Rulers today to discuss his series of audiences with political leaders last week.
The PN government had requested a state of emergency in October last year but this was rejected by the Agong.
It made a second request in January and the ruler acceded to the request.
While the emergency is said to be for combating the Covid-19 pandemic, it has also helped to sustain the PN government, despite its fragile majority, as Parliament was suspended.
The emergency is set to expire in August and the Agong has interviewed the country’s top political leaders to chart the future course.
With the fate of the PN government at stake, it has insisted that the ruler acts on the advice of the cabinet, particularly on whether the emergency should be extended.
However, Mahathir pointed out that even before the emergency, the ruler had set the precedence of exercising his discretion to reject the government’s advice.
“The Agong rejected it when the government first asked for an emergency to be declared.
“So it appears that the Agong does have the power to accept or reject advice he gets from the government or the prime minister,” he said.
In the case of the NOC, Mahathir said he did not expect Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to support it as he would lose power.
“In this case, setting up the NOC could usurp the position of the prime minister. Of course, he won’t advise for a NOC if he will lose power,” he quipped.
Being PM twice is enough
Asked during the interview why he proposed himself to be a part of NOC, Mahathir said he merely wanted to contribute his vast experience in public service.
He denied harbouring personal interests.
“I just want to serve. I am not thinking about myself. If I was thinking about myself, I would want to rest like other people.
“This is not to elevate me as I have already held the highest office, there is no higher position to go. I have already been prime minister twice, cukuplah (that’s enough).
“But many people think I should use my experience for the country’s interests. This is not for my personal interests,” Mahathir stressed. - Mkini
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