Malaysia’s king urges MPs to support budget to offset effects of coronavirus pandemic
- King Al-Sultan Abdullah said next year’s budget is vital in helping the public manage the effects of the coronavirus and restore the economy
- Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is under pressure from other members of his coalition after failed attempt to secure royal assent to declare emergency rule
With the chance of success for the no-confidence vote looking remote due to a technicality, the premier’s rivals had planned to use the budget vote as a proxy no-confidence vote against him when the House of Representatives, the lower house in the parliament, begin its last meeting of the year, next week.
However, Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin, comptroller of the Royal Household, said in the statement that the king advised all the lawmakers to give “full support” to the 2021 budget.
“Al-Sultan Abdullah calls on the Members of Parliament to respect His Majesty’s advice for them to stop all political disputes and instead focus on the people’s welfare and the country’s well-being so that Budget 2021 can be approved without any hindrance,” he said.
The statement was issued after the king held a routine weekly pre-Cabinet meeting with Muhyiddin at the palace.