Malaysia's king calls for early resumption of Parliament

Kuala Lumpur

MALAYSIA'S King Al-Sultan Abdullah said on Wednesday that the country's Parliament should reconvene as soon as possible, to allow emergency ordinances and a coronavirus recovery plan to be debated by lawmakers.

The king's remarks come a day after Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said parliament could reopen by September at the earliest, if the average number of daily coronavirus infections fall below 2,000.

Parliament was suspended in January after the king declared a national emergency on Mr Muhyiddin's advice. The opposition said it was an attempt by the premier to shore up his position amid a leadership challenge.

The king said Parliament plays an important role in discussing steps taken by the government to deal with the health and economic crises caused by the coronavirus.

He also stressed on the need for a "stable and secure government administration" capable of effectively handling the epidemic and restoring the economy. To this end, the government needs to ease bureaucracy and speed up vaccinations to ensure the country reaches herd immunity as soon as possible, as vaccination is the sole "exit strategy" from the epidemic, the king said.

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Malaysia has reported 4,142 deaths from the coronavirus. The country has the highest number of infections per capita in South-east Asia. REUTERS