In a statement, Comptroller of the Royal Household Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said the King was aware of Parliament’s important role in discussing issues involving Covid-19.

Fadil said the King took this stand after being briefed by the special emergency committee and experts, adding that Parliament sittings would allow for the emergency ordinances and national recovery plan to be debated by MPs.

“MPs can discuss the government’s financial allocations aimed at helping the people who are suffering, and for the nation’s economic recovery.

“His majesty gave his view that the government needs to act towards easing bureaucracy and expediting the vaccination process for the people to achieve the goal of 80% herd immunity as soon as possible.

“His majesty is also of the view that there needs to be a stable and strong government administration capable of functioning effectively to handle the pandemic and the recovery of the nation’s economy,” Fadil said.

The statement came after a special meeting with the Malay Rulers today, chaired by Sultan Abdullah.

The King had granted separate audiences to 18 political party leaders over the past few days to discuss the emergency and measures to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some of these leaders have said that they asked for the emergency to be lifted and Parliament to be reconvened during their meetings with the King.

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, on the other hand, proposed for a national operations council to be formed, dubbed the “National Recovery Council”, similar to the Majlis Gerakan Negara (Mageran) of 1969.

The King also expressed his hope that Covid-19 cases will decline, and thanked frontliners for working tirelessly for the nation’s sake.

“His majesty takes this opportunity to invite the people to pray that Malaysians and this nation will always remain under God’s protection,” said Fadil.

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