Agong can prorogue Parliament for the sake of national stability - Lawyer

Advocate and solicitor Datuk Salehuddin Saidin said this is because when Parliament is no longer functioning at that time, the Agong has the power to take over the administration of the country.

The action is to be carried out with the help of an emergency Cabinet set up to achieve national stability, he added.

“We know Parliament will convene on November 2, and what can be done by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is using the provisions of the Constitution under Article 55 Clause 2 which states that His Majesty can prorogue Parliament.

"Once Parliament has been adjourned, the declaration of emergency can be gazetted.

"Therefore, at that time, the current Parliament is no longer functioning and the Agong can take over the administration of the country with the help of an emergency Cabinet formed for the purpose of implementing the administration of the country," he said when contacted through the Agenda AWANI program last night.

However, Salehuddin said, a new Cabinet line-up is not necessarily formed.

"In fact, the existing Cabinet line-up can also help the country's administration, and this is up to the wisdom of the Agong," he said.

In the meantime, Salehuddin thinks that the current situation warranted a declaration of emergency based on two factors.

First, the country's political instability and second, the increasing prevalence of COVID-19.

"So, the combination of these two factors justifies the declaration of emergency to be implemented.

“This factor is said to threaten national security, threaten the stability and health of the people so as to cause the people's economic recession.