KUALA LUMPUR: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah will be consulting the Malay Rulers on the proposal raised by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday.
Comptroller of the Royal Household for Istana Negara Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said the King understands the need for continuity in the country's administration in the fight against the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic that hit many parts of the country.
Ahmad Fadil said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is also concern about the anxiety and exasperation among the people following the latest developments.
"Following the session yesterday, Al-Sultan Abdullah has agreed to consult fellow Malay Rulers at Istana Negara soon to discuss and deliberate the proposal raised by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin," said Ahmad Fadil in a statement this morning.
The King, he said, also called on the people to remain calm, not panic and stay patient in facing the latest developments pending a decision on the proposals by the prime minister.
It is learnt that during his meeting with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at Istana AbdulAziz in Indera Mahkota, Kuantan yesterday, Muhyiddin had proposed for a declaration of emergency which entails the prorogation of Parliament.
The Third Term of the 14th Dewan Rakyat session is supposed to convene for 27 days from Nov 2 until Dec 15.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong may declare a state of emergency under Article 150(1) of the Federal Constitution if a major emergency to the security or economic life or public order in the federation or any part thereof (has) existed.
Under Article 150(2), the King may also make an emergency proclamation if he is satisfied that the threat of a major emergency to national security, or the economic life or public order is almost true.
Three grounds can be used by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to make a declaration of emergency, that is if it is a threat to national security; economic life; or public order.
Article 55 of the Federal Constitution stipulates that only His Majesty The King can summon for Parliament to be in session. His Majesty also has the absolute power to prorogue or dissolve the Parliament.
Legal expert Datuk Dr Gurdial Singh Nijar said a state of emergency proclamation will empower the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to enact laws (called ordinances), widen the Parliament and executive powers as well as override state power.
He said an "emergency" happens when there is a perceived threat to the security, economic life or public order of the country or any part where there is no need for an actual breach of the peace or violence.
"Any imminent threat suffices. As the Privy Council ruled in a celebrated decision: 'a state of emergency is something that does not permit of any exact definition: it connotes a state of matters calling for drastic action….'"
Gurdial said four emergencies had been declared so far: in 1964 (to deal with the Indonesian confrontation); 1966 (to get rid of the Sarawak Chief Minister at the behest of the Federal Government); 1969 (in the aftermath of the May 13 racial riots) and 1977 (as a result of the collapse of the Kelantan government then headed by Datuk Mohamed Nasir).
A source said based on the the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's recent statement urging politicians not to plunge the country into another round of political uncertainty coupled with the disappointment expressed by Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah over the endless political turmoil that had caused uneasiness among the people, it can be inferred that the Rulers are supportive of ensuring political stability in order to win war against third wave Covid-19, which have unleashed its fury on several parts of the country.
The surge of Covid-19 infections with active cases reaching 8,146 patients and the daily death toll hitting all time high of 10 as of noon yesterday, has triggered concern among health authorities.
It is learnt that a decision is expected to be made earliest today or in the next few days.