Khaled said the decision by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, and his fellow rulers was a wise one and “indirectly served as a stamp of approval that the Federal Constitution must not be abused”.
He said the King had shown confidence in the ability of frontliners who have worked tirelessly to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
Khaled said the matter had been handled in a such a way as to give Malaysians confidence that the rulers always listen to the people, celebrate democracy and uphold the Federal Constitution.
The King’s decision, announced by Istana Negara this evening, prompted an outburst on social media of the hashtag #DaulatTuanku (long live the King), with praise for Sultan Abdullah.
Among those who responded to the hashtag were Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan and party Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki. Both attached Istana Negara’s statement to their tweets.
Former human resources minister and Ipoh Barat MP M Kula Segaran thanked the King for “always being the people’s King and doing what’s best for the nation”. He added it was time to put aside politics and work together to curb Covid-19.
MCA lawyer Chan Quin Er tweeted that a declaration for emergency should only be used “when normal functioning of state can no longer be maintained”.
“His Majesty’s royal decision characterised Malaysians’ common pride and love for our democracy,” he said.
Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin said on Twitter that it was the first time in Malaysian history that a prime minister was denied a major proposal.
Amanah president Mohamad Sabu said the party was thankful for the royal decision.
Istana Negara said in a statement this evening that the King, after discussions with fellow rulers, felt the government has succeeded in handling the Covid-19 pandemic well and there was no need for a state of emergency to be declared for the country or in any part of Malaysia.
“His Majesty wishes to remind politicians to stop politicking, which can disrupt the stability of the country’s administration,” the statement said.