KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today that his administration will continue with education and health reforms, to commemorate the installation of the 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim.
In his congratulatory speech and the government’s oath of loyalty, Anwar said his administration will also continue to focus on issues related to public housing and the cost of living, with hardcore poverty set to be eradicated.
“Your Majesty, in the effort to create reforms and transformations in this era, the government will remain consistent in emphasising noble values, strengthening the moral, and reinforcing the national identity.
“Focus will also be given to enhancing love and loyalty to the Federal Constitution and the Rukun Negara,” said Anwar at the Istana Negara.
In his speech, Anwar also said that the institution of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is a pillar of strength for the nation and its multi-ethnic people.
“It serves as the protector of Islam as the religion of the Federation, strengthens the position of the Malay language, and defends the rights and privileges of the Malays and Bumiputeras, while also ensuring equality and justice for all citizens in upholding the principles of Constitutional Monarchy and parliamentary democracy,” he said.
He also said that His Majesty plays a role in ensuring close ties between the country and Asean, Islamic nations, and at the international level.
Sultan Ibrahim, who continued the second round of the Malay monarch rotation system practised since the country’s independence in 1957, took the oath of office as the 17th King of Malaysia on January 31.
His Majesty replaces Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah of Pahang, whose reign as the 16th King ended on January 30.
