Agong to chair rulers’ meeting on pandemic

A special meeting of the Malay rulers will be held on June 16, Istana Negara announced today as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong continues to meet with the leaders of political parties throughout the country.

“This special discussion of the Malay rulers is on the initiative of His Majesty and will be chaired by His Majesty,” said a statement by the Comptroller of the Royal Household, Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin.

He said the meeting would be the second by the rulers to discuss the Covid-19 pandemic, after a similar discussion in October last year.

Earlier today, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah met Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim in separate audiences.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu also met with the Agong today.

Other political leaders who have so far confirmed audiences with the king include former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and GPS leader Abang Johari Openg.

Abang Johari, who is Sarawak chief minister, said today that other GPS component leaders had been granted audiences with the Agong as well.

A source familiar with meetings between the palace and political leaders during the emergency previously told MalaysiaNow that the planned meetings were nothing out of the ordinary.

“This is just a routine audience. Claims that it is to discuss the formation of the government are just fake news,” the source said.