10-29-2020, 05:02 PM
The stunning rebuff of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s plans to declare a state of emergency has been rightly hailed as a victory for Malaysia’s democracy. The message to Prime Minister Muhyiddin and all our fractious politicians from the Istana was clear enough: no need to short-circuit the democratic process by suspending Parliament, now is not the time for fresh elections, find a way to work together to manage the Covid-19 pandemic and the attendant economic challenges.
How it will play out, however, is far from clear.
In the first place, it puts the prime minister in an unenviable position. He rushed to the Istana last week seeking a quick declaration of emergency in the hope of presenting it as a fait accompli the same day. The King clearly refused to be pressured into making any hasty decisions. His insistence on consulting with his brother rulers before deciding also allowed the public at large an opportunity to weigh in on the issue. They did just that, and in splendid fashion too, by roundly criticising the prime minister’s plans.
A royal rebuke – and that is what it was – is significant, serious and substantive. It suggests a loss of confidence in the prime minister. Cumulatively, it means that Muhyiddin has now lost the confidence of the monarch, the parliament and the people and with that, whatever is left of his credibility. Something like this has never happened before. Only the most obdurate would not feel honour bound to resign.
Of course, the prime minister and his supporters are now trying to put the best possible spin on his abortive plans for an emergency by latching on to the monarch’s brief expression of confidence in the government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. It does not, however, lessen the impact of the serious rebuke the prime minister has been dealt. If anything, it was perhaps a polite reminder to the prime minister as to where his priorities ought to lie.
The other takeaway from the Istana statement is that the monarch and his brother rulers remain deeply concerned about the endless political infighting and intrigue that has engulfed the country since the fall of the Pakatan Harapan government. Even before this, the royals had expressed anxiety over the situation and urged political leaders to find a way to settle their differences for the sake of the people. There are few signs, however, that the politicians are listening.
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How it will play out, however, is far from clear.
In the first place, it puts the prime minister in an unenviable position. He rushed to the Istana last week seeking a quick declaration of emergency in the hope of presenting it as a fait accompli the same day. The King clearly refused to be pressured into making any hasty decisions. His insistence on consulting with his brother rulers before deciding also allowed the public at large an opportunity to weigh in on the issue. They did just that, and in splendid fashion too, by roundly criticising the prime minister’s plans.
A royal rebuke – and that is what it was – is significant, serious and substantive. It suggests a loss of confidence in the prime minister. Cumulatively, it means that Muhyiddin has now lost the confidence of the monarch, the parliament and the people and with that, whatever is left of his credibility. Something like this has never happened before. Only the most obdurate would not feel honour bound to resign.
Of course, the prime minister and his supporters are now trying to put the best possible spin on his abortive plans for an emergency by latching on to the monarch’s brief expression of confidence in the government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. It does not, however, lessen the impact of the serious rebuke the prime minister has been dealt. If anything, it was perhaps a polite reminder to the prime minister as to where his priorities ought to lie.
The other takeaway from the Istana statement is that the monarch and his brother rulers remain deeply concerned about the endless political infighting and intrigue that has engulfed the country since the fall of the Pakatan Harapan government. Even before this, the royals had expressed anxiety over the situation and urged political leaders to find a way to settle their differences for the sake of the people. There are few signs, however, that the politicians are listening.
- More -