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KUALA LUMPUR (REUTERS, THE STAR / ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – Malaysia’s King Sultan Abdullah will not grant an audience to anyone for a week as he is under observation in a hospital, a palace official said on Friday (September 25), amidst as leader of the opposition, Anwar Ibrahim seeks to meet with him to form a new government.
Anwar said this week that a “strong and formidable” majority of lawmakers in parliament has been secured to oust Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. But he has to convince the King that he has the numbers to form a government.
Mr. Anwar was scheduled to meet the king on Tuesday, but the appointment had to be canceled as the king was unwell and had to be transferred to a hospital.
The political turmoil comes just seven months after another power struggle that saw Muhyiddin take over as prime minister and could delay efforts to stabilize an economy reeling from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Muhyiddin, who has a slim majority in parliament, has dismissed Anwar’s claims of a majority and challenged him to prove it through a constitutional process.
The king plays a largely ceremonial role in Malaysia, but he can appoint a prime minister who, in his opinion, is likely to have a majority in Parliament. It can also dissolve Parliament and trigger elections with the advice of the prime minister.
“His doctors have advised His Majesty to stay in (the hospital) for seven days for observation. So until then, he will not have any meetings,” the palace comptroller Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin told Reuters.
No major political party has come out in support, but the leader of the Umno, the largest party in the ruling coalition, said there were defections to Anwar’s side.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhyiddin continues to dismiss Anwar’s claim that he has the numbers to be the new prime minister, saying that he is not overly concerned that he has not yet heard the news from the King, The Star reported.
He said the Federal Constitution states that if Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has received strong evidence that a current prime minister does not have the majority support of MPs, the prime minister would be subpoenaed and informed. about it.
“Until now, I haven’t been summoned, so I don’t need to react hastily to such things,” he said.
But even if it comes down to it, Muhyiddin said he can resign or, with the King’s consent, dissolve Parliament and call elections.
Mr. Muhyiddin, at a campaign rally in Sabah, stressed that he was still constitutionally the Prime Minister and that he acted in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
He said he also raised the matter with Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun, who confirmed that he was still prime minister.
Muhyiddin added that he was not crazy about power and that he would accept the end of his term as God’s plan for him.
“If it is God’s will that I finish my term, so be it. As a Muslim, I believe that we can only plan and God will decide, and all religions also have the same belief.
“In the meantime, I want to continue assuming responsibilities as prime minister until I can no longer,” he said, adding that he had done a lot in his seven months as prime minister.
The crowd booed when Muhyiddin brought up Anwar’s claim during his speech, prompting the Bersatu president to question him further.
“He said that, but when the media asked him who was behind him, he told them to wait. I am not saying that he is wrong, but I am still the prime minister,” he said.
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