KUALA LUMPUR (MALAYSIA) – King Al-Sultan Abdullah of Malaysia will hold talks with other rulers to discuss the proposals put forward by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, said the palace on Saturday. This comes after a source revealed that the premier 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, sources said – a move that opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim denounced as an attempt by the premier to retain control amid a power struggle.
The proposal comes as Malaysia faces a resurgence in coronavirus cases, a pandemic-battered economy and doubts over Muhyiddin’s ability to command a majority in parliament and pass the budget for 2021.
The palace did not identify the recommendations made by Muhyiddin, and said the king will soon hold the consultation with other Malay rulers.
“Al-Sultan Abdullah greatly understands the need for the country’s administration to continue to tackle the threat of COVID-19,” the palace said in a statement.
The Council of Rulers, which groups the heads of Malaysia’s nine royal houses, has the power to withhold consent from any law and deliberate on questions 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.
Opposition politicians say there is no valid reason for the government to impose an emergency and that it was meant to avoid a showdown in parliament over the support Muhyiddin commands.
The government is scheduled to propose its 2021 budget on Nov. 6 when parliament reconvenes early next month.