Agong says efforts towards bipartisan cooperation very much appreciated

 

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong said he appreciates the efforts of party leaders in creating bipartisan cooperation in pursuit of building a new political landscape in the country.

This is the type of “maturity” the rakyat wants to see from their leaders, he said.

“I welcome and very much appreciate the efforts towards realising a new bipartisan approach among all parties, which will soon shape a new political landscape and bring with it changes to the country’s administrative system.

“Heed this old Malay advice… for those who won shall not win all, and those who lost shall not lose all,” the king said in his royal address when opening the first meeting of this Parliament term today.

Moving forward, he urged everyone to practise a collaborative democracy in finding solutions to any issues.

“Hence, I welcome the government’s openness in giving opportunities to various parties, including parliamentarians, to involve themselves in the country’s administration,” he said.

The federal government and Pakatan Harapan had engaged in negotiations starting early last month, just days after Ismail Sabri Yaakob was sworn in as the new prime minister, a job he secured with a slim majority in the Dewan Rakyat.

Both sides have since announced that they intend to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) today, agreeing that the deal is to restore political stability in the country for the sake of handling the Covid-19 pandemic as well as to revive the economy.

The Agong also reaffirmed that he is satisfied that the 114 MPs who expressed their support for Ismail Sabri as prime minister in their declaration letters had done so of their own free will.

“On Aug 19, after meeting with all 114 MPs, I am satisfied that the support they gave to (Ismail Sabri) is of their own free will, without any coercion

“Hence, in line with Article 40(2)(A) and Article 43(2)(A) of the Federal Constitution, I have consented to appoint Ismail (Sabri) as the ninth Malaysian prime minister,” he said.

The king did not mention anything about the vote of confidence in his speech.

On Aug 18, the Istana Negara had issued an official statement saying that the Agong decreed for the new prime minister to be put through a vote of confidence in the Dewan Rakyat as soon as possible.

However, de facto Law Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar had said on Sept 7 that the Agong had consented for Ismail Sabri not to undergo a vote of confidence.

Wan Junaidi said this had been conveyed to him during a cabinet meeting.

There is currently no motion for a vote of confidence scheduled in the order paper for this Parliament sitting.

In his address, the Agong noted that the country has witnessed the resignations of two prime ministers during his reign.

As such, the king also advised the MPs not to use the future of the country as well as those of its people as a “gamble” in an attempt to achieve their own agenda.

He urged the new government as well as the MPs to double their efforts in handling the Covid-19 pandemic and bringing the country out of this crisis. - Mkini