KUALA LUMPUR: The Pakatan Harapan (PH) government respects the decision of the Sultan of Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad V, to step down as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong yesterday, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
She expressed sadness over the decision, saying that it was during the reign of Sultan Muhammad V that the historic change of government took place following the PH victory in the 14th General Election last May.
“I am saddened because His Majesty was the Yang di-Pertuan Agong who witnessed us (PH) coming to power and also change the government’s history.
“His Majesty also granted a pardon to my husband (PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim). We respect Your Majesty’s decision,” she said after attending a Humanitarian Lab 2.0 dinner organised by Mercy Malaysia at the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) yesterday.
Dr Wan Azizah said she learned of the resignation of Sultan Muhammad V from the statement issued by Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja (Comptroller of the Royal Household) of Istana Negara, Datuk Wan Ahmad Dahlan Ab Aziz, yesterday evening.
Asked about her visit and also those by several ministers and PH MPs to Cameron Highlands even before the start of the campaign for the by-election on Jan 26, Dr Wan Azizah said the visits were a follow-up to the intention of the government to resume the ‘Ops Gading’ operation to combat illegal land encroachment activities to prevent mud floods and landslides that ended on Dec 31.
At a meeting of the National Security Council, the state government sought a resumption of the ‘Ops Gading’ operation as there were illegal land encroachment activities that caused landslides and cost lives, she said.
“This is a federal government measure to help the state government. This is not about PRK (the by-election) because we have to go on working as part of the government,” she said.
Electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0 had claimed that it was wrong, in principle, for ministers and MPs to focus on Cameron Highlands before nomination day for the by-election.
Earlier, in her speech at the event, Dr Wan Azizah said the Myanmar government should be more responsible and not let other countries to handle the welfare of the Rohingya refugees.
She said the international community should play its role in pressuring Myanmar to be responsible and honour the rights of the refugees.
“Such humanitarian diplomacy is expected to be systematically and consistently maintained in putting pressure on the relevant parties in resolving the problems of the Rohingya community,” she said. – Bernama
