KUALA LUMPUR – The Yang di-Pertuan Agong today disclosed to Parliament that he received hundreds of letters from the rakyat sharing with him how their lives have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
In this regard, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah decreed that all MPs must put aside their agendas in the best interest of the people.
“Too many have been affected by the pandemic, and too many have lost their sources of income,” he said in his royal address at the opening of the fourth session of the parliamentary term in the Dewan Rakyat today.
The ceremony was also attended by members of the upper House.
“I received hundreds of letters from the rakyat, sharing their grief with a thousand hopes that they can achieve change to continue their normal lives.
“My advice to all members of the House: don’t ever gamble the country and rakyat’s future to achieve your own agendas.”
While the Agong did not mention names, the message appears to be in reference to the recent power struggle among politicians, which led to the resignation of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister.
This was following the withdrawal of support from more than a dozen Umno MPs.
Since Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s appointment as the country’s ninth prime minister last month, the Umno vice-president has been pushing for several government and parliamentary reforms through cooperation with the opposition.
This is in line with the king’s demand for bipartisanship, made prior to Ismail Sabri’s appointment.
The government and opposition are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding in Parliament later today in their push for the transformation and reform initiatives.
On this front, the king lauded the attitude shown by both sides of the divide in setting aside their differences for the sake of the people.
I welcome and appreciate the efforts taken to realise the bipartisan cooperation, which will form a new political landscape and bring changes to the system of administration.
“It is this kind of maturity that is craved by the rakyat. Indeed, the winner doesn’t win all, and the loser doesn’t lose all,” he said, adding that only through this cooperation can the country overcome its current struggles.
The Agong also lauded the government’s efforts to assist the public and businesses reeling from the impact of the pandemic, including through its various aid and stimulus packages announced to date.
To improve the economy, His Majesty urged the government to expedite recovery through the introduction of policies that are business- and investor-friendly.
“Appropriate allocation should also be given to fund the public healthcare system, as well as providing aid to affected individuals and to revitalise business activities in line with the reopening of the economy.”
The Agong also noted that the government will be tabling bills to increase the ceiling budget for Covid-19 spending, as well as the statutory debt limit.
However, His Majesty made no mention of his wish for Ismail Sabri to test his legitimacy via a confidence vote in the Dewan Rakyat, as had been decreed previously before the appointment of the latter.
Last week, Law Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar revealed that the Agong had supposedly informed Ismail Sabri during one of their audiences that the prime minister need not test his legitimacy when the Dewan Rakyat convenes.
Wan Junaidi said the king had decided as such, considering he had just appointed Ismail Sabri.
He said His Majesty also saw no necessity for a vote of confidence since he was confident that the Bera MP enjoys majority support in the Dewan Rakyat. – The Vibes, September 13, 2021
