Bravo! Sultans save democracy

 

What a relief! The announcement yesterday by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, that there would be no declaration of an emergency, is great news, especially for lovers of democracy and businessmen.

I am sure Malaysians are very grateful to the King and the Malay rulers for deciding against an emergency.

In fact, one of my friends posted this message in our Whatsapp chat group: ”God has saved us from a disaster.”

Istana Negara confirmed yesterday evening that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had proposed that a state of emergency be declared to tackle the rising Covid-19 cases and the resultant economic damage.

A statement issued by the Comptroller of the Royal Household, Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin, said: “After refining the proposal and discussing the matter with the Malay rulers and taking into account the situation in the country, Sultan Abdullah feels that the government has succeeded in handling the pandemic well.”

The statement added: “Sultan Abdullah is of the view that there is no need for an emergency to be declared for the country or (in) any parts of Malaysia. Still, His Majesty wishes to remind politicians to stop politicking, which can disrupt the stability of the country’s administration.”

The King said there was no need for MPs to continue with irresponsible actions which could affect the stability of the government.

“He stresses that the 2021 Budget, which will be tabled in Parliament, is very important for the people in the fight against Covid-19 and (in) restoring the economy,” the statement said.

The palace statement came after the King held a three-hour consultation with his fellow rulers on Muhyiddin’s proposal.

When reports emerged that the Cabinet had decided to propose that the King declare an emergency to better enable the government to handle the Covid-19 pandemic, there was an outpouring of concern, opposition and outrage.

One of the strongest voices was that of former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah who said: ““I am dismayed and shocked that the prime minister (with the support of his Cabinet) is now seeking the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to declare a state of emergency, presumably to put himself in charge of this emergency administration which would have far-reaching powers.”

He went on to voice the thoughts of many Malaysians when he said: ““Our parliamentary system is working well and there is no mass rebellion or riots on our streets. I cannot see any honest basis for such a request. I can only suspect non-honourable motives behind it.”

He warned that a proclamation of emergency would be the “final nail in the coffin” for the nation’s battered economy.

The National Patriots Association did not spare words when it said: “Merely to attempt to contain the spread of Covid-19 by imposing emergency rule and justifying it by saying the people are against having elections, is simply moronic.

“Certainly, there are much better ways to combat the current spike in cases, like specific locality lockdown or partial lockdown.”

The above are only two examples. Many, many groups and individuals – not just opposition politicians – spoke up against the proposal for emergency powers.

In doing so, they showed that Malaysians are not only aware of their rights but also their responsibility as citizens. They showed they were taking ownership of the nation and would not meekly allow politicians to do as they wished.

Bravo to these Malaysians. Surely this is a victory for freedom-loving Malaysians.

The beautiful part is that the Malay rulers heard these voices, and taking cognizance of the solid grounds as to why a proclamation of emergency would be overkill, wisely rejected the prime minister’s advice.

Some will see this as a blow to Muhyiddin, even a rebuff. Others will see the fact that the King said he believed in the ability of the government under Muhyiddin’s leadership to continue implementing policies and actions to contain the spread of Covid-19 as an endorsement of him as prime minister.

I’m not going to dwell on that here.

For now, I think Malaysians owe a huge thanks to the Malay rulers for deciding in the interest of the people and taking a long-term view of the damage such an emergency would have on the nation.

This decision shows, once again, that the system of constitutional monarchy is working well in the country and that the rulers can, and do, serve as a check and balance on the national administration.

Over the years, some rulers have stood out like beacons of hope for the people, although there have also been some who have caused distress through their actions.

I come from Perak and so I don’t know much about the rulers of other states, but I do know a little about the sultans of Perak. The current ruler of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, is popular with his people and many see him as a shining example of a wise ruler.

Sultan Nazrin consistently speaks up for unity, rationality and common sense.

In fact, many Perak rulers of the past have spoken up for unity among the people. One of these was Sultan Iskandar Shah who ruled from 1918 to 1938. He called on the Malays, Chinese and Indians to work together and see themselves as Perakians at every opportunity he got.

Malaysia witnessed one of the worst floods ever between late December 1926 and early January 1927. Perak, Pahang and Selangor were among the states that suffered in the terrible deluge.

Kuala Kangsar, where Sultan Iskandar Shah lived, was one of the worst hit, with entire villages washed away and heavy losses of lives.

Here is a paragraph of a report from the Times of Malaya of Jan 1, 1927: “The sultan of Perak personally led the officials to the rescue work, performing many feats of gallantry in saving lives on Wednesday and Thursday and risking his life many times.”

I suppose I should not end without saying that once, in the late 1970s, I was one of a few people privileged enough to ride on the yacht of the then ruler Sultan Idris Shah. He piloted the yacht as we rode the waves off Port Weld near Taiping.

So, once again, a big Thank You to the King and to the Malay rulers. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.