PETALING JAYA,Oct 26: There is no need for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to resign, say analysts, following the decision by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to reject the government’s proposal to declare a state of emergency over the Covid-19 crisis.
Kamarul Zaman Yusoff of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) noted that despite the rejection, the Agong had expressed his satisfaction and confidence in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government’s capabilities in managing the pandemic.
“Opposition leaders should not be happy with the King’s decision to reject Muhyiddin’s proposal to declare an emergency because Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah also believes in the current government’s abilities to contain the spread of Covid-19 effectively,” he told FMT.
Kamarul said the King believed there was no need for MPs to continue irresponsible actions which may affect the government’s stability, and this meant he wanted the PN administration to continue.
In a statement yesterday, Comptroller of the Royal Household Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said the decision against declaring a state of emergency was made after the King discussed Muhyiddin’s proposal with the Malay rulers.
Fadil said Muhyiddin had proposed for a state of emergency to be declared under Article 150(1) and 150(2) of the Federal Constitution to battle Covid-19.
However, he said, the King believed in the government to continue implementing policies and actions to contain the spread of the virus.
He said the King also reminded politicians to “stop politicking” to avoid disrupting the stability of the country’s administration.
Meanwhile, Universiti Sains Malaysia’s (USM) Sivamurugan Pandian said Sultan Abdullah had put his trust in Muhyiddin to continue leading the government and handling the Covid-19 crisis.
He suggested for all parties to come together in a political reconciliation, as a collective effort to battle the pandemic, recover the economy and look after the public’s wellbeing.
“The opposition must take the Agong’s order seriously, asking all parties to stop playing politics and to act more responsibly,” he said.
Another analyst, Mohd Izani Mohd Zain of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), said the decision to reject Muhyiddin’s proposal did not mean he needed to resign.
He said it was only a normal process in a democratic system and constitutional monarchy.
“The Agong and Malay rulers would have taken all considerations into account. The future of the prime minister and the government now depends on the process in Parliament,” he said.
