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KUALA LUMPUR: Frustrated with a months-long political power struggle during the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysians have praised the king, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah for rejecting Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s request to impose an emergency government.
“He saved our people, country and democracy,” said Twitter user @Kushfein in one of many positive responses to the King’s decision posted on social media.
Malaysian monarchs, who play largely a figurehead role, rarely make headlines for their role in the country’s political affairs, but Sultan Abdullah has made several major calls since February when an elected coalition government se suddenly split.
And it could play a key role if political instability continues, say constitutional lawyers and political analysts.
The monarchy has traditionally been close to the ruling government, but Sultan Abdullah’s refusal to Muhyiddin’s request has increased confidence in the king’s constitutional role.
“It restores a certain faith in the constitutional monarchy of this country, they are not just very passive,” said historian Kobkua Suwannathat-Pian.
Check and balance
Sultan Abdullah gave Muhyiddin the post of prime minister after the alliance led by veteran leader Dr. Mahathir Mohamad collapsed in February. In the process, he rejected Mahathir’s latest attempt to prove he had the numbers in Parliament to retain power.
Earlier this month, the leader of the opposition, Anwar Ibrahim, went to the King to show that he had gathered the majority to overthrow Muhyiddin. The king urged Anwar to follow the constitutional process, and in the two weeks since that meeting, the ruler has repeatedly called for an end to politicking during the pandemic.
On Sunday, the king denied Muhyiddin a state of emergency, which critics say would have allowed the prime minister to suspend parliament and effectively hamper any attempt to overthrow his government.
But, the King also threw Muhyiddin a lifeline and told lawmakers who were jumping from the country’s party to stop their power plays.
Posting on Facebook shortly before Malaysian rulers met to discuss the king’s course of action, the crown prince of the powerful Johor Sultanate said the traditional rulers provided “checks and balances.”
“The current situation is a clear indication of what would happen when the power to govern is left entirely in the hands of politicians,” said Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, in office.
Popularity
Malaysia has a unique system, as the nine Malaysian sultans take turns assuming the role of king every five years.
It is a largely ceremonial role, which includes serving as the custodian of Islam in the Muslim-majority country.
In the early 1990s, then-Prime Minister Mahathir approved constitutional changes to curb some of the powers of the sultans to paralyze legislation and end their immunity from prosecution.
But Malays and Indian and Chinese non-Muslim minority communities still have a deep respect for the sultans.
Sultan Abdullah, 61, has gained popularity with his approachable demeanor and down-to-earth image, having been seen helping accident victims on the road and lining up to eat at KFC.
And the actions of the Malaysian monarchy remain high today compared to those of neighboring Thailand, where there have been massive protests every day calling for the resignation of the prime minister, reforms of the monarchy and a reduction of powers. King.
“The monarchy is no longer playing a ceremonial role but is taking an ‘active part’ in alleviating uncertainty,” said Muhammad Takiyuddin Ismail, professor of political science at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), adding that the rejection of the emergency request increased the reputation of the monarchy.
