King consents to emergency declaration, to be in force until Aug 1

 

In view of the growing number of Covid-19 cases, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah has consented to a Declaration of Emergency Proclamation based on Clause (1) Article 150 of the Federal Constitution.

His Majesty also gave his consent for this period of emergency to take effect until Aug 1 or an earlier date if the number of daily Covid-19 figures can be effectively controlled and lowered.

The declaration of emergency will allow Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to suspend Parliament and delay the Sarawak state election, where the term of its state assembly will automatically expire in June, until later in the year.

A statement by Comptroller of the Royal Household Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin confirmed that the king had granted an audience with Muhyiddin at Istana Negara at 5.30pm yesterday on the matter.

"At the 45-minute audience, Muhyiddin presented the cabinet's decision on the proposed implementation of the Declaration of an Emergency Proclamation as a proactive measure to curb and stabilise the rise in daily Covid-19 positive cases that has hit four figures continuously since last December."

After listening to the explanation of the prime minister and consulting with Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali, Attorney-General Idrus Harun; Armed Forces chief Affendi Buang, Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador, Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, and Election Commission chairperson Abdul Ghani Salleh, Sultan Abdullah expressed the view that the pandemic is at a very critical level and there is a need of a declaration of emergency.

"It should be noted that this agreement has also taken into account the views of the Malay rulers.

"This consent also takes into account the personal safety of the people and the interests of the country.

"It is also based on current Covid-19 statistics, particularly the constraints of logistics facilities according to the states that have been presented during the briefing session," read the statement.

Yesterday, Muhyiddin unveiled tougher measures to control the spread of Covid-19.

This included the implementation of a full movement control order (MCO) on eight states and territories.

They are Penang, Selangor, Malacca, Johor, Sabah, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan.

Another six states will be under the ongoing conditional MCO but with stricter rules than the existing ones.

Sultan Abdullah also consented to a government proposal to set up an independent committee comprising government and opposition MPs as well as health experts to manage the Covid-19 situation.

“This independent committee will make recommendations to His Majesty if it deems fit that the emergency can be withdrawn much earlier (than Aug 1),” said the statement.

The king advised the people to remain calm and resilient in facing the emergency and MCO for common interests and national safety.

The Perikatan Nasional government has recently seen its majority vanish and it is understood that Muhyiddin only has the support of 110 MPs.

The emergency declaration which entails the suspension of Parliament should mean that he will not have to face a vote of no confidence until Aug 1, giving his embattled administration some stability during this period.

It also puts an end to speculation of snap polls at this time. - Mkini