KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — Parliament should convene as soon as possible to enable proper discussion of the Emergency Ordinance and Malaysia’s Covid-19 recovery plan, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong said today.

The announcement followed a special meeting of the Conference of Rulers chaired earlier today by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al- Mustafa Billah Shah, which saw the inclusion of senior government officials and other key political leaders last week.

"After refining all the views of the leaders of political parties, the 2021 Independent Emergency Special Committee and briefing experts from Government agencies, His Majesty expressed the view that Parliament should be convened as soon as possible.

"This is to enable the Emergency Ordinances and the National Recovery Plan to be debated by the Members of the House of Representatives,” Controller of Royal Household Datuk Indera Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said in a statement conveying the King’s views this evening.

The statement also expressed the Rulers’ wish for a "stable and strong government administration that is able to function effectively in dealing with the Covid-19 epidemic and revive the country’s economy”.

It noted the role of Parliament as an important platform for the elected representatives to meet and to discuss various issues, especially those related to the spread of Covid-19.

"Members of the Dewan Rakyat can discuss the allocation of government expenditure to help the people in need and to revive the country’s economy,” the statement read.

The Agong and other Malay monarchs held a lengthy meeting at Istana Negara here earlier today to discuss matters concerning the government’s management of the Covid-19 crisis amid growing public restlessness with prolonged lockdown measures that are emptying their pockets.

Other senior government officials involved in the meeting were Chief Secretary Tan Sri Muhammad Zuki Ali, Chief of the Armed Forces General Tan Sri Affendi Buang and Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani.