4 prime ministers, hung Parliament, among highlights of Agong’s reign

 

Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah said he was the only King to have been ‘granted the opportunity to govern the country with four different prime ministers’.

PETALING JAYA: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah reflected on some of the highlights of his reign as the King, including having four different prime ministers serve under him.

In his royal address at the 262nd meeting of the Conference of Rulers, Sultan Abdullah said he was the “only King who was granted the opportunity to govern the country with four different prime ministers”.

Sultan Abdullah ascended the throne in January 2019, when Dr Mahathir Mohamad was serving his second stint as prime minister.

He later appointed Muhyiddin Yassin, Ismail Sabri Yaakob and finally, Anwar Ibrahim as the eighth, ninth and tenth prime ministers, respectively.

Sultan Abdullah also said it was during his reign that the country witnessed its first-ever hung Parliament, referring to the outcome of the 15th general election (GE15) last November.

“As in any situation, I gave parliamentarians the opportunity to come to an agreement on the principle of unity for the future of the country.”

After no one coalition secured a simple majority to form the government, Sultan Abdullah proposed a unity government as a solution to the impasse, which subsequently saw Barisan Nasional (PN) join forces with Pakatan Harapan (PH).

This was after Perikatan Nasional (PN) declined the proposal from the King to form a unity government with PH.

Sultan Abdullah also said his term was marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, which not only claimed the lives of many, but had impacted the economy.

“It came to a point that an Emergency was forced to be proclaimed and the nation had to put up with movement restrictions.”

However, Sultan Abdullah said whether it was political turmoil or Covid-19, he upheld the oath he swore upon ascending the throne.

“To rule our beloved nation fairly and according to the provisions in the Federal Constitution.”

Sultan Abdullah went on to say that the royal institution was not “just symbolic”.

“The royal institution is the protector of democracy, the pillar of peace and is at the very heart of unity.”

Sultan Abdullah’s term as the 16th Agong ends on Jan 30, 2024. - FMT