Malaysia

Agong grants audience to opposition committee appealing emergency

King agrees to meet group, but has yet to decide on date and time

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 22 Apr 2021 1:55PM

Agong grants audience to opposition committee appealing emergency — The Committee for the Cessation of the State of Emergency had last month launched a petition, known as #TamatDarurat, urging the Agong to end the emergency. – The Vibes file pic, April 22, 2021

KUALA LUMPUR – The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has consented to an audience with an opposition ad hoc committee, led by Shah Alam MP Khalid Abdul Samad, appealing to end the emergency.

Istana Negara has sent a letter to Khalid this morning, Malaysiakini reported, quoting a source.

The letter stated that the Agong has agreed to meet the Committee for the Secession for the Emergency Proclamation so the latter can submit a memorandum. However, the date and time will be decided later.

“I will issue a press statement on this at 2pm,” Khalid was quoted as saying.

Two days ago, the committee, Khalid, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu submitted a memorandum to the palace, requesting an audience to discuss the lifting of the emergency.

The memorandum was handed to the king’s senior private secretary.

This is the second time the committee has submitted an application seeking an audience with the Agong, with Khalid making a similar move on March 26, but did not receive any response.

Just two days ago, Shah Alam MP Khalid Abdul Samad along with other individuals and lawmakers had submitted a memorandum to the palace to request an audience to discuss the lifting of the emergency. – The Vibes file pic, April 22, 2021

Khalid had said should the palace not respond again to their request for an audience, the committee will submit a fresh application in a month-and-a-half’s time.

“We will bring more evidence to prove that the emergency has burdened the rakyat and country.

“We are confident that the Agong will agree to grant us the audience as we are representing the people.”

Last month, Khalid and the committee launched a petition, dubbed #TamatDarurat, urging the Agong to end the emergency.

He had said he hoped to get as many signatures as possible by Ramadan, and present the memorandum to the king.

Aside from Khalid and other individuals, lawmakers in the committee are:

- Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (Sepang MP)

- Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman (Sepanggar MP)

- Teo Nie Ching (Kulai MP)

- Fahmi Fadzil (Lembah Pantai MP)

- Teresa Kok (Seputeh MP)

- Maria Chin Abdullah (Petaling Jaya MP)

- Datuk Marzuki Yahya (senator)