By Amin Ridzuan Ishak
THE string of political crises that beset the country in the last four years, and the Covid-19 pandemic, have reaffirmed the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah’s ability to rule with wisdom, prudence and authority.
His Majesty’s address to Parliament on February 13 described how he was “brought to the heart of a political fiasco” after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s sudden resignation as the country’s seventh prime minister on February 24, 2020.
Using a Malay proverb, Al-Sultan Abdullah said, “What was good and fine was suddenly made complicated. Even the eighth prime minister stepped down on August 16, 2021.
“That meant the responsibility of appointing a new prime minister fell on my shoulders.”
The political chaos first unfolded when Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) decided to exit from Pakatan Harapan (Harapan). The partnership made history just two years earlier when it toppled the Barisan Nasional (BN) leadership in Putrajaya.
After calling a meeting on the morning of February 23, 2020, the top brass of Bersatu, together with a number of parliamentarians from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (Keadilan), BN dan PAS met for a dinner at Sheraton Hotel in Petaling Jaya.
Dr Mahathir, who felt he no longer commanded the support of the majority at the Dewan Rakyat, decided to call it a day. Al-Sultan Abdullah advised the elder statesman to withdraw his resignation, to no success.
He then appointed Dr Mahathir as interim prime minister before summoning all members of parliament to Istana Negara for an audience. On February 25 and 26, the parliamentarians took turns to personally inform His Majesty about their choice of leader.
On February 28, Al-Sultan Abdullah met his fellow rulers at a specially convened gathering at the palace to temporarily solve the impasse in the formation of the Federal government. It was decided that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin be made the country’s eighth prime minister, and on March 1, 2020, the Bersatu president was sworn in.
The resolution was short-lived. The Pagoh parliamentarian’s poor management of the country’s affairs, his dismal handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, and ongoing tussles with BN proved detrimental, plunging Malaysia deeper into crisis.
Grave disappointment
A state of Emergency declared on January 11, 2021 — to supposedly hold back Covid-19 — was futile. From April to May, the virus unleashed a flood of new infections while the slow rollout of vaccines did little to quell people’s alarm.
Even though the proclamation of the Emergency was made by the King, on February 24 His Majesty was still calling for Parliament to be convened in March. Yet, Muhyiddin turned a deaf ear. It had to take two more calls from Al-Sultan Abdullah (on June 16 and 29), and the third time backed by the Conference of Rulers, for the prime minister to respond.
After months of pressure from the palace and the people, Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional (PN) government announced that Parliament would reconvene for just five days from July 26.
But caveats were made. The Special Meeting of the Third Session of the 14th Parliament would not allow debates on bills or oral question-and-answer sessions. And so, no debate was carried out on the Emergency Ordinance or the palace-backed National Recovery Plan to exit Covid-19.
Further scandal ensued when, during the session, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan announced that Putrajaya had already revoked all Emergency Ordinances that were formulated that year on July 21, rendering all calls for the annulment of the laws irrelevant.
Al-Sultan Abdullah was gravely disappointed. On July 29, he made it known that he was displeased that the proposed revocation of all the ordinances to be tabled and debated in parliament had not been carried out, and that it was done behind his back without his consent.
In a statement issued by the palace, His Majesty reiterated that “Article 150(2B), read together with Article 150(3) of the Federal Constitution clearly gives the power to promulgate and revoke the Emergency Ordinances to the King” and that “all quarters must abide by the rule of law”.
Then, on August 3, 2021, a few BN parliamentarians led by Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi withdrew their support for Muhyiddin. Muhyiddin sought for reconciliation, but when that fell apart, he handed in his resignation on August 16, albeit reluctantly.
In power for just 17 months, far shorter than the 22 months Harapan — a coalition he betrayed — held the reins, Muhyiddin was replaced by Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on August 21.
But that was before Al-Sultan Abdullah summoned all party leaders to Istana Negara on August 17 to state their choice of prime minister.
Again, the Conference of Rulers convened, this time on August 20, 2021, to decide who would be the leader of the Federal government. The following afternoon, Ismail Sabri was named Malaysia’s ninth prime minister and took his oath of office.
Ismail Sabri’s stint in Putrajaya lasted only 14 months. On October 10, 2022, his hand was forced by internal party politics to dissolve Parliament and make way for the 15th General Election (GE15), even though the 14th Parliament session was yet to draw to a close.
Hung Parliament
While hopes were high that the GE15 on November 19 would put an end to political uncertainty, things would not be so for some time more.
In his own words, Al-Sultan Abdullah spoke of the responsibility he had to undertake during the five days when tensions flared.
“After GE15, for the first time in the history of our democracy, our country was faced with a hung Parliament,” said His Majesty during the second session of the 15th Parliament earlier this year.
“Yet again, the onus was on me to choose and appoint the country’s prime minister. Few will know the weight of that task upon my shoulders.”
No coalition could reach the magic number of 112 to form a simple majority in Parliament. Harapan had 82. PN had 73.
In the end, it was BN with 30 seats who ended the stalemate by forming allies with Harapan and answering His Majesty’s call for a Unity Government.
PN rejected the proposal, but Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) with 23 seats, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GPS) (6 seats), Parti Warisan Sabah (3), two independents and one seat each from Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (PKDM) and Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) made up the numbers.
Tensions eased when Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim became the 10th prime minister on November 24.
“I hope the 10th prime minister is the last under my reign before I return to Pahang Darul Makmur,” His Majesty said.
When the time comes for Al-Sultan Abdullah to end his five-year tenure on January 30, 2024, it is without a doubt that he would be remembered as the King who ruled with good judgement and fairness.
“More importantly, the political crisis that plagued the nation for almost four years could have been avoided if MPs and politicians had set aside their differences and united in the interests of the people and country,” he said.
“In our 66 years of independence, our diversity is what has held the nation up.
“These 66 years should have already taught us that it is our unique differences that shape our Malaysian race, a race that loves and respects one another, is tolerant, and one that is willing to live as a unified entity.”
This article first appeared in the Selangor Journal monthly June 2023 edition, published on June 3, 2023.
