KUALA LUMPUR – Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim will not entertain any attempts to topple the current unity government before its term ends.
In his inaugural royal address at the Dewan Rakyat here this morning, he advised all lawmakers to focus on the welfare of all Malaysians, instead of personal interests.
“All parties should be aware that the wellbeing of more than 33 million Malaysians is my utmost priority. Therefore, I hope that all members of the House will focus their efforts on safeguarding the people, and not their personal or party interests.
“I will not entertain any request from any party that may compromise the political stability of the country.
“All parties must accept the prevailing order and respect the unity government that has been formed. Anyone seeking to play politics should wait for the next general election,” he said, which was met with applause from the House floor.
Sultan Ibrahim also gave the green light to the speaker and his deputies to take action against MPs who behave abhorrently, such as banning them from participating in the sittings for two weeks.
He has fired a subtle warning in his speech that he would not be lenient with lawmakers during any audience with him.
“My speech today is not as severe as the one I gave in Johor. Today, I give everyone here an opportunity so no one would be offended,” he said, while expressing his hope that in future the MPs would be mindful of their behaviour during the parliamentary sittings.
He has also said Parliament is a place where laws are enacted and that the parliamentarians are its lawmakers, so it would be inconceivable for the MPs to disobey the rules they themselves drew up.
“I hope all MPs will set a good example throughout the proceedings in this august House. Maintain good manners and speak politely, instead of hurling insults at each other.
“Looking back at the MPs’ behaviour before this, I would be ashamed to enter this august House.”
Previously, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul shared that Sultan Ibrahim expected a world-class Parliament and for MPs to argue with facts, not a place for the public to scorn at.
“Tuanku conveyed this to me when I was granted an audience recently. I’ve discussed with my deputies to strictly enforce the Standing Orders. The MPs have had their first-year honeymoon. This time around, it is about getting things done.”
During a pre-Dewan Rakyat meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim called on government lawmakers to ensure the quality of their debates and to maintain decorum during the Dewan Rakyat sittings.
“In my address, I stressed that all government MPs should ensure the quality of their debates and practise good manners throughout the Dewan Rakyat session until March 27.
“This session was also a space for all MPs to touch on various current issues, especially those involving the people’s interest.”
The first meeting of the third session of the 15th Parliament started today and will last until March 27. – February 26, 2024