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By A. Ananthalakshmi and Rozanna Latiff
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia’s King Al-Sultan Abdullah will consult with other rulers to discuss Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s proposals, the palace said on Saturday, after sources told Reuters the prime minister had asked the king to declare a state of emergency.
Muhyiddin met with the king on Friday to present the emergency proposal that includes a suspension of parliament, the sources said, a move that opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim denounced as an attempt by the prime minister to maintain control amid a fight for the power.
The proposal comes as Malaysia faces a resurgence in coronavirus cases, an economy hit by a pandemic and doubts about Muhyiddin’s ability to win a majority in parliament and pass the budget for 2021.
The palace did not identify the recommendations made by Muhyiddin and said that the king will soon hold consultation with other Malaysian rulers.
“Al-Sultan Abdullah greatly understands the need for the country’s administration to continue to face the threat of COVID-19,” the palace said in a statement.
The Council of Rulers, which brings together the heads of the nine royal houses of Malaysia, has the power to deny consent to any law and to deliberate on matters of national policy.
A source familiar with the matter said the rulers will meet on Sunday.
Muhyiddin’s office has not commented on the emergency proposal.
‘WITHOUT JUSTIFICATION’
Opposition politicians say there is no valid reason for the government to impose an emergency and that its aim was to avoid a showdown in parliament over the support that Muhyiddin orders.
The government is scheduled to propose its 2021 budget on November 6 when parliament meets again early next month.
There have been doubts about whether Muhyiddin can muster a majority in parliament to pass the budget since Anwar raised his bid to form a government. The prime minister has also been criticized by some of his coalition partners, who have threatened to withdraw their support and support Anwar.
Losing the budget would count as a vote of no confidence in Muhyiddin and could trigger an election. The emergency rule could mean that the budget will not be put to a vote.
Former prime minister and opposition lawmaker Mahathir Mohamad said there was no unrest or a breakdown of law and order to justify an emergency, which would give Muhyiddin additional powers.
“Faced with being ousted, the prime minister wants powers under a state of emergency,” Mahathir in a blog post.
The Star newspaper reported that the proposed emergency would only affect political activities and there will be no curfews or any impact on economic activities.
(Report by A. Ananthalakshmi and Rozanna Latiff; edited by William Mallard and Lincoln Feast.)
