KUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin arrived at the palace early on Wednesday (June 9), in what appeared to be the first of a series of audiences that the King is granting to party chiefs to discuss Malaysia's Covid-19 and political crises.
However, the palace clarified later that the King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, met the Premier for their regular pre-Cabinet briefing on Wednesdays, and Tan Sri Muhyiddin, who is also Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president, left after an hour.
"The pre-Cabinet meeting is among weekly activities or main routine for Sultan Abdullah to discuss and exchange views with the Prime Minister concerning matters and issues relating to government," the palace said in a short statement on its Facebook page.
It is unclear if Mr Muhyiddin will meet the King, who is also ruler of Pahang, again later.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was next to enter the palace gates, the first among opposition party heads who have audiences on Wednesday, although former premier Mahathir Mohamad is slated for Thursday.
Datuk Seri Anwar, who is also Parti Keadilan Rakyat president, said he pleaded for the King not to extend the state of emergency due to expire on Aug 1, as the move has not helped poorer Malaysians.
“I gave my view that continuing the Emergency will cause losses to the country, and does not aid in tackling the Covid-19 problem. All the steps that can be implemented do not need for an emergency to be in place."
He added that the King has also been consulting experts on the pandemic.
When reporters asked if there were discussions about forming a new government, Mr Anwar said: “That question does not arise at this point.”
Democratic Action Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, whose party has the most Members of Parliament, also had an audience on Wednesday afternoon.
The government had said the emergency proclaimed in January was to fight the coronavirus pandemic, yet the nation is in the throes of another lockdown after record highs of cases and deaths were reported in recent weeks.
Political and government sources, as well as media reports since Monday, have indicated that the constitutional monarch is meeting party chiefs across the political divide over the rest of the week.
Opponents of PM Muhyiddin have called for Parliament, which last sat in December to pass this year's budget, to be reopened so that the worsening outbreak - which in May alone claimed nearly half of Malaysia's total pandemic death toll of 3,000 - can be addressed.
The state of emergency suspends the requirement for Parliament to reconvene within six months of its last sitting and also secures the Muhyiddin administration in power.
A member of the opposition's committee lobbying for an end to the emergency, Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan, had earlier said the meetings with the King would be on "uniting the country".
The Council of Rulers, made up of the nine state monarchs, is also expected to meet on June 16, amid speculation that the King is seeking views on the emergency and solutions for the pandemic, such as forming a bipartisan body.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnN0cmFpdHN0aW1lcy5jb20vYXNpYS9zZS1hc2lhL21hbGF5c2lhbi1wbS12aXNpdHMtaXN0YW5hLW5lZ2FyYS1hcy1raW5nLXNldC10by1tZWV0LXBvbGl0aWNhbC1sZWFkZXJz0gEA?oc=5
2021-06-09 05:44:58Z
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