Agong consents to emergency declaration

Published 12 Jan 2021, 9:38 am
Modified 9:42 am

In view of the growing number of Covid-19 cases, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah has consented to a Declaration of Emergency Proclamation based on Clause (1) Article 150 of the Federal Constitution.

A statement by the Comptroller of the Royal Household, Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin confirmed that the King had granted an audience with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin at the Istana Negara at 5.30pm yesterday on the matter.

"At the 45-minute audience, Muhyiddin presented the cabinet's decision on the proposed implementation of the Declaration of an Emergency Proclamation as a proactive measure to curb and stabilise the rise in daily Covid-19 positive cases that has hit four figures continuously since last December.

After listening to the explanation of the Prime Minister and consulting with Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali, Attorney General Idrus Harun; Army Commander Affendi Buang; IGP Abdul Hamid Bador, Health Director Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, and Election Commission chairperson Abdul Ghani bin Salleh, Sultan Abdullah expressed the view that the pandemic is at a very critical level and there is a need of a Declaration of Emergency.

"It should be noted that this agreement has also taken into account the views of the Malay Rulers.

"This consent also takes into account the personal safety of the people and the interests of the country.

"It is also based on current Covid-19 statistics, particularly the constraints of logistics facilities according to the states that have been presented during the briefing session," read the statement.

Yesterday Muhyiddin unveiled tougher measures to control the spread of Covid-19.

This includes the implementation of a full movement control order (MCO) on eight states and territories.

They are Penang, Selangor, Malacca, Johor, Sabah, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan.

Another six states will be under the ongoing conditional MCO but with stricter rules than the existing ones.

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