LETTERS: On Jan 30, the nation will bid a fond farewell to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.
The king and the queen have endeared themselves to the people with their cheerful personalities. The king's reign has been an eventful one from the start due to the political situation.
He used his wisdom to find solutions to the political crises he faced. His ingenuity helped to overcome political and constitutional problems.
These problems were compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns. It was a time of anxiety and uncertainty.
The king's innovative steps to deal with the constitutional crises will remain a hallmark of his reign.
His approach to resolving the political deadlock in 2020 was seen when members of parliament were bussed to Istana Negara for an interview with the king to determine their stand.
This situation was resolved when Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was appointed prime minister and he had his hands full dealing with the pandemic.
Another bout of instability ensued when Muhyiddin resigned after 17 months.
Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was appointed as prime minister and was in charge until the 15th General Election, which saw a hung Parliament, another first in the country's history, and the king had to use his wisdom again.
Several coalitions were locked in a tussle to gain control of government.
The king made a farsighted decision when he opted for a unity government led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The king had set a new convention to deal with constitutional and political issues.
In setting a precedent, the king follows the example of his late father Sultan Ahmad Shah, who lobbied for the new concept of co-hosting of the World Cup in 2002.
Japan and South Korea were eligible and were eager to host the World Cup.
Fifa, the world football governing body, was in a deadlock, and it was the late sultan, who, as head of the Asian Football Confederation, lobbied for co-hosting and persuaded then Fifa president Sepp Blatter to opt for co-hosting to end the Japan-South Korea stalemate.
Today, co-hosting has become popular and, for international and global sports tournaments, an effective way to reduce and defray the expenditure of hosting tournaments.
The king's precedent of interviewing MPs and choosing a multiracial coalition to govern is among the many noble and memorable events of his reign people bid farewell to the royal couple.
V. THOMAS
Sg Buloh, Selangor
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times
