Malaysia’s PM Muhyiddin defiant after king rebukes government for misleading parliament

Sultan Abdullah expressed ‘deep disappointment’ that law minister Takiyuddin Hassan did not seek his assent to revoke the state of emergency he agreed to in January

In response, PM Muhyiddin Yassin countered that the monarch was briefed on the government’s plans and was obliged to follow its advice

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Malaysia's Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin speaks during a session of the lower house of parliament on Monday. The king has sharply criticised his government. Photo: Reuters

Published: 2:00pm, 29 Jul 2021Updated: 10:06pm, 29 Jul 2021

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Thursday stood his ground after his government was accused by the country’s king of misleading parliament by incorrectly suggesting the monarch had assented to revoking a state of emergency that received the royal green light in January.

Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who serves as the country’s constitutional head of state, said the government had in fact not sought his assent before de facto law minister Takiyuddin Hassan on Monday declared that various emergency ordinances – set to expire on August 1 – had been nullified a week earlier.

Takiyuddin’s comments enraged opposition lawmakers, who insisted that the constitution required the revocation of the state of emergency to be voted on in parliament, along with the assent of Sultan Abdullah.

Opposition politicians said the government had sought to revoke the emergency through the back door, as a vote in parliament would show that it did not command a parliamentary majority – which in turn could compel Sultan Abdullah to order the formation of a new administration.

In a drama-filled day, Muhyiddin countered with a lengthy statement of his own, in which he said the king had previously been briefed on the government’s view that the matter did not require a parliamentary vote.

“The government is of the view that all actions taken were in line with the law and the Federal Constitution,” the embattled prime minister said, adding that the king was legally obliged to act according to the advice of the cabinet.