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What a relief! Yesterday’s announcement by Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, that there would be no emergency declaration, is great news, especially for democracy lovers and businessmen.
I am sure that Malaysians are very grateful to the Malaysian king and rulers for making a decision against an emergency.
In fact, one of my friends posted this message on our WhatsApp chat group: “God has saved us from disaster.”
Istana Negara confirmed last night that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had proposed that a state of emergency be declared to address the increasing cases of Covid-19 and the resulting economic damage.
A statement issued by the Comptroller of the Royal House, Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin, said: “After refining the proposal and discussing the matter with the Malaysian rulers and taking into account the situation in the country, Sultan Abdullah feels that the government has achieved handle the pandemic well. “
The statement added: “Sultan Abdullah is of the opinion that there is no need for an emergency to be declared for the country or (in) any part of Malaysia. However, His Majesty wishes to remind politicians to stop politicking, which may upset the stability of the country’s administration. “
The King said there is no need for the deputies to continue with irresponsible actions that could affect the stability of the government.
“He emphasizes that the 2021 Budget, which will be presented in Parliament, is very important for the people in the fight against Covid-19 and (in) restoring the economy,” the statement said.
The palace’s declaration came after the king held a three-hour consultation with his fellow rulers on Muhyiddin’s proposal.
When reports surfaced that the cabinet had decided to propose that the king declare an emergency to allow the government to better handle the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a torrent of concern, opposition, and outrage.
One of the loudest voices was that of former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who said: “I am shocked and dismayed 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 take charge of this emergency administration that would have far-reaching powers.
He went on to express the thoughts of many Malaysians when he said: “Our parliamentary system is working well and there are no mass rebellions or riots on our streets. I don’t see any honest basis for such a request. I can only suspect non-honorable motives behind this. “
He warned that an emergency proclamation would be the “last nail in the coffin” for the nation’s ailing economy.
The National Patriots Association was sparing no words when it said: “Simply trying to contain the spread of Covid-19 by imposing an emergency rule and justifying it by saying that the people are against the elections, is simply nonsense.
“Certainly, there are much better ways to combat the current peak in cases, such as a specific location blockade or partial blockage.”
The above are just two examples. Many, many groups and individuals, not just opposition politicians, demonstrated against the proposed emergency powers.
In doing so, they showed that Malaysians are not only aware of their rights, but also of their responsibility as citizens. They showed that they were taking over the nation and that they would not meekly allow politicians to do what they wanted.
Bravo to these Malaysians. Without doubt, this is a victory for freedom-loving Malaysians.
The good news is that the Malaysian rulers heard these voices and, recognizing the solid fundamentals of why an emergency proclamation would be excessive, they wisely rejected the prime minister’s advice.
Some will see this as a blow to Muhyiddin, even a rejection. 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 insist on that here.
For now, I think Malaysians owe a big thank you to the Malaysian rulers for deciding in the interest of the people and taking a long-term view of the damage that such an emergency would have on the nation.
This decision shows, once again, that the constitutional monarchy system is working well in the country and that the rulers can, and do, serve as a check and balance of the national administration.
Over the years, some rulers have stood out as beacons of hope for the people, although there have also been some who have caused distress with their actions.
I come from Perak, 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 is seen by many as a shining example of a wise ruler.
Sultan Nazrin constantly defends unity, rationality and common sense.
In fact, many rulers of Perak in the past have spoken out in favor of unity among the people. One of them was Sultan Iskandar Shah, who ruled from 1918 to 1938. He called on Malays, Chinese and Indians to work together and see themselves as Perakians at every opportunity.
Malaysia witnessed one of the worst floods in history between late December 1926 and early January 1927. Perak, Pahang and Selangor were some of the states that suffered the terrible flood.
Kuala Kangsar, where Sultan Iskandar Shah lived, was one of the worst hit, with entire villages leveled and great loss of life.
Here is a paragraph from a Times of Malaya report of January 1, 1927: “The Sultan of Perak personally led officials to rescue work, performing many feats of gallantry to save lives on Wednesday and Thursday and risk many lives. times. . “
I guess I shouldn’t end without saying that once, in the late 1970s, I was one of the few people privileged enough to ride the then-ruling Sultan Idris Shah’s yacht. 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 the Malaysian rulers.
The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
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