KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s King Al-Sultan Abdullah has urged for government stability, warning that the country risked losing investors and falling behind its competitors owing to prolonged political uncertainty.
In a rare, wide-ranging interview with local and foreign media this month, Al-Sultan Abdullah – who will stand down from the throne on Tuesday – also urged future monarchs have a stronger role representing Malaysia in international affairs.
In Malaysia, the monarchy is primarily seen as ceremonial and above politics.
However, the monarchy’s influence has grown as a result of political unrest under Al-Sultan Abdullah’s rule, with the king using his infrequently exercised discretionary rights to select the nation’s last three prime ministers.
Under a distinct kind of monarchy, the heads of Malaysia’s nine royal families alternate as king and queen every five years.
Following a coronation ceremony on Wednesday, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar of Johor will be crowned the future king. Al-Sultan Abdullah, who took the throne in 2019, will return to govern his native state of Pahang.
Al-Sultan Abdullah voiced his dissatisfaction with Malaysia’s rival political parties in an uncharacteristically candid speech, warning that the country’s economic advancement could be endangered by the constant upheaval of government policies and administration.
“Foreign investors want to see a stable nation where they can make investments and promptly maximize their returns. There will be delays if our governments change frequently.”
“We need to remain competitive otherwise we will be left behind…we cannot afford to have an unstable government.”
Al-Sultan Abdullah voiced the hope that the administration of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will serve out its whole five-year term in order to complete much-needed reforms, such as a revision of Malaysia’s subsidy program.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, has declared a move away from a system of universal subsidies to one that primarily assists lower-income households as part of a lesser expenditure plan for 2024.
In recent years, Malaysia has witnessed a record increase in its subsidised products, including rice, cooking oil, and fuel, as a result of rising commodity prices.
Following Anwar’s administration’s accusation this month of a plan to overthrow the government against a number of opposition and governing bloc figures, Al-Sultan Abdullah publicly expressed his optimism that Malaysia will see a full-term government.
According to media reports, a few figures of the opposition and government coalition have denied any role in the purported conspiracy.
Because they serve as the guardians of Islam, Malaysia’s sultans have great respect in the nation, which is predominately Muslim.
As a constitutional monarch, the king has some discretionary rights, such as the ability to name a prime minister who he feels has the support of the legislature, but he generally follows the advice of the prime minister and the cabinet.
Three times, in order to settle political unrest, Al-Sultan Abdullah had to use his authority; the most recent instance occurred in 2022 when he appointed Anwar after an election that resulted in a hung parliament.
Al-Sultan Abdullah advocated for the king to represent Malaysia overseas in issues that did not interfere with the functioning of the government, such as advocating against climate change, and stated that the monarchy should be reinforced.
“Everyone tries to behave in accordance with the constitution. In order for us to get closer to the people, the rulers must also understand their responsibilities,” he remarked.
Sultan Ibrahim, who will succeed him, has likewise stated that he wants to be a more involved king.
Sultan Ibrahim, who is more talkative than other monarchs, is involved in a wide range of businesses, including real estate and mining, especially in his home state of Johor, which is located just north of Singapore in the south.
The sultan has a stake in Forest City, a $100 billion land reclamation and development project sponsored by China, and he hopes to resurrect the long-stalled high-speed train link project between Malaysia and the city-state, according to an interview he gave to Singapore’s The Straits Times in November.
Additionally, he suggested that Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency and national oil company, Petronas, answer directly to the king.
According to state media, Prime Minister Anwar batted down worries raised by Sultan Ibrahim’s remarks, stating that while viewpoints can be shared, they should not be done at the expense of the federal constitution.
In his capacity as monarch, Sultan Ibrahim will also be able to pardon criminals and decide whether to grant the former prime minister Najib Razak’s request for a royal pardon while he is incarcerated.
Najib was convicted of wrongdoing related to the $1MDB affair and is presently serving a 12-year prison sentence. He continues to be a well-liked political figure despite his repeated denials of misconduct.
